


The Cursed Light

by LuxAndMortem



Series: A Dark and Twisted Truth [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Once Upon a Time (TV), Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2020-09-06 23:02:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 40
Words: 32,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20299378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuxAndMortem/pseuds/LuxAndMortem
Summary: When the three fandoms of Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and Once Upon a Time are united by a dark curse, who will they befriend, who will break the curse and most importantly, who will survive?Harry Potter - Half blood prince eraPercy Jackson - Trials of Apollo eraOnce upon a time - In the gap of years between season 6 and 7





	1. An introduction by Kaydance

**Author's Note:**

> This is part one of the series A Dark and Twisted Truth. Part two contains different fandoms and can be read interchangeably with A Cursed Light. It may not make sense straight away as to how they are linked but the connection will be established later in the fic. It is also worth mentioning that it is not me writing the second part but my partner Mortem.   
Hope you enjoy part two, Lux.

When you think of Percy Jackson, Harry Potter and of course Once Upon a Time you, most people, like everybody else, think about how ‘fake’ and far from reality all of it is. You are conditioned to dismiss it all as illogical. Fiction. What if I was to tell you otherwise? What if I were to tell you that in fact all those characters you love are real, they do exist? That they’re not just fairytales. What if I was to tell you about the time when the main protagonists from each were all united by a certain dark curse? What if I told you they were more than just a figment of your imagination and they always have been? What if I told you that you too could be part of their world, all you have to do is to believe...

This is the story of how I found out about this concealed reality and discovered that I was more than just a ‘dreamer’, as everyone dismissed me to be. You see this whole world of creation has been right before you the whole time, we were just brought up to believe it as illogical, a dream we could neither have nor share. This is the story of me, and this is how it all begun. 


	2. It all begins - Kaydance

It all started with Henry, the truest believer.After the fourth dark curse or so, ( we’ve lost count at this point) he sat down again, pen in hand, to continue his job as author unknowingly setting the course of fate. I sat beside him even now astounded as to how he was possessed by his duties as author, despite having witnessed him like this many a time. Unlike the characters from Henry’s book, I much like him aged because, because I wasn’t one of them. However I came to storybrooke to escape the reality I was used to in Britain, where suddenly I was exposed as... different and not everybody liked that.Some came to me seeking advice, while others, others had-more brutal intentions. That was until I finally couldn’t take it anymore, instead retreating here, where I am accepted among the town and its’ people. A gorgeous town at that, slightly small, but what it lacked in size it made up through the people. A wide variety of people of all different backgrounds, mostly the people of Henry’s book yet all with different personalities and morals- all of whom were brought together, united, in one place everyday, Granny’s. From the outside the diner looked, average to say the least but on the inside it was full to the brim of life and all the gossip and neon lighting that accompanied it. Honestly I would have preferred to be there; yet when he is writing Henry prefers a more calm atmosphere and I respected that, instead settling at his sofa. 

These past few years I’ve grown up with Henry, getting to know him, as a best friend in between all his adventures; many of which I’ve been lucky enough to be part of. While others refused his friendship because ‘his family is cursed’- I’ve stood by him through it all therefore when he looks up, our eyes locking, I know something isn’t right. Never before have I seen such a look of pure terror. 

It is him who speaks first “Kay, another curse is coming.”


	3. United at last - Kaydance

“What, how can you be sure?” was my response, to which he turns the book around to face me; sure enough as clear as day I could see the words etched in his handwriting ‘united at last by the dark curse’.

“We have to warn them” I alerted Henry.

“We’ll never make it in time “ he replied gesturing at the mass of black clouds rolling across the quaint little town, submerging it in darkness. 

“Correction if we run we won’t make it.”

“Kaydance no I can’t let you do this.”

“ You can’t exactly stop me either so are you coming or not because I’d rather not spend my last waking moments, with my memories in tact, arguing with you.”

“ But it’s your first dark curse, Kay you don’t understand how much it already drains you, let alone this too!”

“Are you coming of your own free will or do I have to drag your sorry arse with me?”

“Fine.”

Quickly, suddenly I grabbed his hand and visualised his family before me, at least they would know what to do, how we could stop or at the very least delay this curse. 

Then it was all over... 

We didn’t make it.


	4. All is not lost? - Piper McLean

The six of us sat gathered around the campfire, none of us daring to break the silence shrouding us. By now the gods sphere of power had moved to the UK and camp half blood with it. We had all reunited earlier today in Manhattan before walking through the maze that was the labyrinth, we were all exhausted but couldn’t help but noticing the missing presence before us, Jason. We probably should’ve shadow travelled but it was already draining enough for Nico and Mrs O’Leary to shadow travel overseas let alone with the six of us too. Plus Nico still hasn’t fully recovered yet from almost fading into shadow, hence why we settled for the trek through the labyrinth instead guided by Mrs O’Leary herself. I thought it would distract me from him, put me at ease for the first time since his death. It didn’t. In fact all it did do was give me more time for my mind to ponder, reliving the events. My legs kept moving but my mind, it was in a different place, a trance of sorts constantly replaying the memories we shared together. Our first kiss. Him saving me from falling into the Grand Canyon. Our break up. 

By the time we transitioned out of the dim lights of the labyrinth to the bright flicker of distant lights coming from Camp Half-blood I was exhausted both physically and mentally yet somehow still standing. We approached what used to be Thalia’s pine and I realised I wasn’t ready, I wasn’t ready for the happiness that would turn into sorrow, the sympathies I would inevitably receive. I wasn’t ready for any of it yet I sat around the campfire anyway. 

The other five seemingly sensed this, sitting beside me without a word and somehow I felt... comforted. Not by them doing anything just their presence and knowing they shared this misery, but I had to stay strong.As if in acknowledgement Percy and Annabeth chased off any campers who came too close while Leo sat with his arm around me. He understood more than anything, Jason was his best friend after all and he never got to see him again. Eventually there came a time when I just couldn’t take it anymore, finally I stood up “I’m going to bed now if that’s okay.”

Once again I struggled to sleep whether that be because of the tears or the nightmares that followed I cannot be sure. Jason’s death replayed in my head, for I’m the one to blame. After all he sacrificed himself for me. I could never repay him. Nor could I ever tell him how much he meant to me, that I was sorry about the way things ended between us, worst of all I couldn’t tell him I cared, I couldn’t tell him I love him- not anymore. Had I not interrupted him from his studies, convincing him to go on a quest he would still be alive, designing monuments for the lesser known gods and goddesses but more importantly alive. It was all my fault. 

Yet something was different tonight in my nightmare, the difference was of one person, my mother. Although for the most part I hated her, sometimes, in times like this she wasn’t too bad. 

“ Piper” she addressed me “ There is no need to grieve any longer my child for I have a cure, a cure sure to bring around your happiness.”

“ My happiness died with Jason.”

“ I thought you might say that darling, you see this cure, it can bring him back but there’s a catch, that is if you’re willing.”

“ I’ll accept, I’ll do whatever it takes to save Jason. First of all though we need to establish some ground, don’t call me darling ever again, and secondly tell me what’s the catch.”

“ As you wish Piper, the catch is that this cure is in fact a curse, a dark curse and well... to enact it you must give up the thing you love most.”

“ That’s not possible, the thing I love and have ever loved most was Jason and he’s no longer here.”

“ Ah but your memories of him still are.”

“ So what you’re saying is that I have to sacrifice my memories of him, to be able to see him again. How will I even recognise him? How in any way possible will this work?”

“Have faith in love Piper, that your love for one another will bring you together once more.”


	5. A Plan - Piper McLean

All of a sudden I awoke, practically leaping out of bed. Hurriedly I got myself ready, rushing out of the Aphrodite cabin and running in my excitement, slap bang into Leo. 

“ Woah, hold up there beauty queen, I was just coming to get you for breakfast, that and...I wanted to check up on you.”

“Check up on me why?”

“You forgot beauty queen that our cabins are next door from one another, I heard you crying- saying about how you wanted him back- how you would do anything. “

“How many times do I have to tell you repair boy to stop calling me beauty queen!”

“ You’re avoiding the subject.”

“ I am not.”

“ Piper please, you know that you can talk to me about anything. ”

“ Okay, okay maybe I was crying a bit, I just can’t accept that he’s truly gone from my life.”

He did a once over, his eyes taking in all aspects of my face before speaking again,“ You seem to have perked up since then.”

“ That’s because I know of a way to bring him back.”

“ You don’t mean...” he voice trailed off. “No no not the physicians cure, it wouldn’t work anyway but that’s besides the point.”

“Then what?”

I leaned in close to whisper,“ A dark curse.”

“ Piper that doesn’t sound like a very good idea, do you even know the price you’ll have to pay to enact such a thing, it’ll be dreadful, it’ll be dangerous-“

“- It’ll be the only thing to bring my boyfriend back, and for your information I do know the price, I give up my memories of him and we can all be united as one, now you can either be with me or against me”- I retorted, my anger bubbling inside. After all we’d been through he still didn’t think I was capable of doing this didn’t he?!

He paused, choosing his words wisely before he spoke again,“ Pipes, you know you’re my friend, which is why I can’t let you do this.”

“ Jason would do the same for you if you were in his position, why should we not do the same for him?”

“ Ask yourself this, would Jason want to be brought back or would he prefer for you to honour his sacrifice and all the memories he left you with before his death?”

“ I guess you’re right Leo, but you won’t stop me,”- I say before storming off to breakfast. Nobody was going to stop me. 


	6. The Downfall of Potter - Bellatrix Lestrange

I hardly need an introduction as you probably know me by now, and know that my reputation precedes me. Bellatrix Lestrange notorious killer and lover of the unforgivable curses; yet this was by far my worst curse yet. 

I stood outside Malfoy manor about to inform the Dark Lord of the great news, for within the darkness of Borgin and Burke’s I had found a scroll. Not just any scroll for on it were the instructions of a dark curse. The Dark Curse. Perhaps the one thing that could put an end to Potter after all. 

I walked in, trying to remain composed as I approached the Dark Lord while practically aching with excitement, for now there would be no doubt that I was by far his most loyal of acquaintances. At last I reached him, sat at the head of the table, rightfully. 

“My Lord I come bearing good news.”

“What is it Bella, can’t you see I’m busy with my schemes to defeat Potter?”

“ I may have the solution to just that my Lord.”

“ Now I’m interested.”

“ A curse, a dark curse, powerful enough to strip them all of their memories and transporting Potter and his friends elsewhere, to a place where time is frozen and you can remain immortal.”

“ How do you know this curse can infiltrate Hogwarts?”

“ Why it’s the most powerful curse in the world, once it has been enacted there is no stopping it, there’s nothing even Dumbledore or anyone else can do.”

“I like the sound of this.”

“ The only problem is my Lord that a curse as powerful as this has a price, you need to sacrifice the heart of the thing you love most.”

“ Then that is what you shall do,”- my spirits suddenly plummeted, but I knew better than to disgrace He Who Must Not Be Named. 

“Very well then it shall be done, by tomorrow we shall reign victorious over Potter”- I announced to the whole crowd, receiving many cheers in the process, and so it shall have to be done, I will have to make the sacrifice. 


	7. The Price to Pay- Bellatrix Lestrange

Leaving the meeting room of the Dark Lord, I was suddenly able to take in what had just happened, what I had just gotten myself into. It was too late now to turn back. I would have to see it through.

Outside my husband Rodolphus was waiting with everything we needed for the curse- only I hadn’t told him, the price we would have to pay, hoping instead that the Dark Lord would pay it for us. “So what did he think?”

“He approved of the idea, there’s no way in which the curse could be broken and time restarted. He’ll continue to remain immortal, it’s even powerful enough to penetrate through Hogwarts, Harry will pay. I will be proven to be his most loyal follower.”

He coughed.

“Sorry we.”

“ That’s what I thought.”

It was time to come clean. 

“ But there’s bad news the curse can only be cast by sacrificing the thing you love most.”

“No Bella please don’t.” he spoke with terror in his voice- he knew. 

“I have no other choice he ordered me.”

“ There’s always another choice Bella please.”

“ I’m sorry Rodolphus, but it must be done.”

He clasped my hands, “ No, we could run away.”

“He’d kill us.”

“ We could join the rebellion then, I’m sure Dumbledore would accept us.”

“I’d be disowned and my sister and her family put at risk, I can’t do that- they can’t suffer because of me- I’m sorry it has to be this way, but there’s no other solution otherwise, trust me I’d take it.”

He let go of my hand and bolted, he should’ve known by now that he wouldn’t escape.

“Petrificus Totalus” I whispered under by breath and with tears in my eyes I plunged my hand in his chest and removed his still beating heart, the heart he said beat only for me. “I’m sorry, if there was any way in which you could ever forgive me, I still wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t. I hate myself for this, I will never forgive myself and I will never forget you, but there can be no other way,” and with that I crushed the heart and enacted the curse. 


	8. A Reminder of the Past - Kaydance

We arrived in a new land, very much resembling that of Storybrooke, the only difference of which being the people around us. There were faces we recognised from our past land and new faces and plenty of them, yet other than that the place seemed, unchanged. 

“I’m sorry Henry, I’m really sorry you wouldn’t be in this position if it wasn’t for me, it’s all my fault you’re separated from your family I’m sorry, I’ll go.”

“ What do you think you’re going on about Kay, none of this is your fault-“

“Yes it is it’s all my fault-“

“ There was no way in which you could have stopped the curse.”

“ I could’ve tried.”

“No you couldn’t have.”

“ I think it’s just better of for everyone if I go...”

“ You and I both know you’re not going anywhere, you haven’t got the strength after you took us through the curse. Talk to me, why do you want to leave?”

“ Because I’m just a danger to everyone that’s why. I’ll never be a hero like you Henry. I’ll never save the world. I’ll never be the person you want me to be. I’ll never be like you. I had hoped that this time might be different, that I would be finally accepted I guess I was wrong. I should’ve given up hope a long time back, what good it’s done me,” with that the tears started falling and I made a run for it. I had learnt by now that crying is a sign of weakness and therefore gives people power over you. 

As I could’ve expected I didn’t get for before Henry caught up with me. 

“Did anyone ever tell you you’re a fast runner? Hey, hey now it’s okay, I’m here for you.” I broke down sobbing into his arms. Passers by mainly went around minding their own business, paying no attention to me; which was just the way I liked it, that was until a scrawny haired boy with a scar on his forehead approached. He knelt down beside me and asked “Hey, are you alright?”

I looked up from where I had my head buried in Henry’s shoulder. 

“You’re Harry aren’t you?”

“ How do you know my name I’m certain. I’ve never met you before in my life?”

“ No, no,no this can’t be happening, if this day could get any worse, this is how.” I said to no-one in particular, causing Harry to look bewildered,before I turned to address him personally. “You shouldn’t be here. I did everything in my power to stop this from happening.” I could tell at this point he was questioning my sanity. 

“Wha-“

“ Harry, where are we right now?”

“ Storybrooke, Britain.”

“How long have you lived here?”

“ For as long as I can remember.”

“ And, and you have no memory of me at all? What about the Dursley’s?”

“ Like I said before, I have never met you before in my life. As for the Dursley’s I haven’t got a clue who they are.”

“Oh god no. It can’t be.”

He turned to Henry, “Have you any idea of what she’s talking about?”

“ Some parts.”

“ Henry we’ve got to go.” I informed him. 

“Why?”

“Please just trust me.”

I grabbed his hand, quickly leading him into the woods, this way we could talk without being overheard. 

“ You know that boy, he’s about the same age as us and you know him.”- Henry stated. 

“I do know him ok, from many years ago.He’s under the influence of the curse, he doesn’t remember me.”

“What was all this about you did everything in your power to stop this from happening? And the Dursley’s?”

“It’s complicated ok, but I guess you deserve to know. Me and Harry have been friends for many years you see, since birth. We lived with this couple called the Dursley’s, a foster family of sorts, who were abusive. They abused Harry emotionally more than physically, so not many people knew, but I did. But towards me, not so much, for I was like a daughter to them, a daughter they never had. That was until my powers started developing and they turned on me. I wasn’t fully in control and I hated to think of what would happen if I couldn’t control them, the impact it would have, how Harry wouldn’t even be able to look at me again. I placed a protection charm around Harry’s heart, in the hopes that it would not be hardened by such hatred, that life might get better for him and I left. Yet now here he is not even remembering my existence.”

“ How long ago was it you left?”

“ I was 10 at the time so six years ago.”

“And you’ve been here three years.”

“Yeah.”

“ What did you do in those three years?” 

“ Please I’d rather not talk about it.”

“Kaydance you know it’s always better to talk about it, why haven’t you mentioned your past before?”

“ It’s too difficult, plus if I told you everything you’d hate me, and I can’t lose you, you’re all I have left.”

“ I’d never hate you, anyway you wouldn’t be able to survive on your own.”

I laughed lightly through tears,“ I did for those three years now didn’t I?”

“ Barely, you were in a dreadful state when you first arrived.”

“ And yet now I’m back where it all started, Britain.”


	9. A new friend - Kaydance

Before I knew it I lay there content in Henry’s arms for what seemed like forever. He didn’t press any further, understanding that I just wanted his presence, a familiar face, and that I wasn’t in the state to go anywhere. Suddenly, we were approached by a boy about our age, he was scrawny and seemed misplaced, clearly not knowing his way around. Another victim of the curse I thought. He spotted us and plucked up the courage to come talk, “Hey-” he opened with, only to receive a growl of “go away” from a slightly protective Henry. The boy backed away and made off. “Hey that wasn’t very nice.” I addressed to Henry, lightly slapping him on the arm and sprinted after the boy before Henry could do anything to stop me. “Hold up.” I shouted and the boy stopped in his tracks. “Sorry about him he’s a bit protective, this being my first curse and all.” Shoot, I hadn’t meant to let that slip especially to a stranger, who now looked at me dumbfounded. “ I’m sorry I’ll leave -” I gestured to go. 

“Leo” he said.

“Leo?” I questioned.

“That’s my name, I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced.”

“Kaydance but everyone just calls me Kay.”

“ It’s nice to meet you Kaydance but everyone just calls me Kay”

I sniggered, the joke was so bad it was actually funny. “So what was it you originally wanted?”

“ I wanted to ask where am I?”

“A town called Storybrooke, it’s where all curse victims turn up, but somehow it’s shifted to Britain.”

“You seem to know your way around, how long have you been cursed?”

“Maybe an hour or two.”

“Wha-“

“You don’t have to be cursed to be a resident of storybrooke, I’ve lived here for a few years it’s just that all curses end up here.”

“You mean the reason you’re here is because of our curse?”

“I assume so yeah. Hope you don’t mind me asking, but how have you managed to retain your memories?”

He hesitated, thinking of how to phrase his answer,“Magic of sorts. And you?”

“ Magic. Which is also why I moved here, I was hunted for it. Do you know Harry?”

“Harry, no, why?”

“Never mind-“ that’s when we were interrupted, and the reality of the situation hit, we were cursed. 

“Kaydance, what the hell do you think you are doing talking to this stranger?!” - Henry had found me. 

“ Henry he’s not a stranger his name is Leo and he’s really nice, if you took a chance to get to know him.”

“ So that’s what you’ve been doing is it, while I’ve been looking all over for you, you’ve been having a leisurely chat with someone you don’t even know?! You know you should be resting.”

“ Henry please listen to me!”

“You shouldn’t even be out here only a few moments ago you were drained of energy, you need to rest.”

“No Henry I don’t.”

“Yes you do I’m not taking no for an answer.”

“Why are you getting so protective of me?”

“Because someone has to look after you seen as you clearly aren’t.”

“Back down” -Leo tried to intervene “ she said she’s fine so leave her be.”

“ Since when is this any of your business?”

“Since you were trying to force her to do something she clearly doesn’t want to do.”

They were going to get physical, I could just tell and I had to put a stop to it one way or another. That’s probably why I did what I did.

Henry at this point had his fists clenched, while Leo had assumed his fighting stance-he looked as if he had had a lot of experience. 

It was Henry who made the first move or at least tried to, as I stood in the middle of the two of them. I didn’t really know what I was doing, other than I wanted to protect them from one another. Then, force fields either side protecting them both from each other. That was new. I didn’t know where it came from, but as much as I hate to admit it, Henry was right. I was drained and promptly collapsed on the floor as the world spun around me, slowly darkening, the shields faltering, and finally the blackness overwhelming, consuming. 


	10. Breathing - Leo Valdez

As soon as her shields lifted, we both ran towards her. I had barely known her an hour yet she already had risked her life for me, and I knew that magic like this used intense power. 

Please don’t be dead. Please don’t be dead. 

I looked to Henry, memories of Piper flooding my head. No, I pushed them aside. I must think straight. “Do you know how to take a pulse?” He shook his head, “Is, is it alright if I?” He nodded desperately visibly distraught, before muttering under his breath.

“ If she has gone and died for us, I will not hesitate to make another trip to the underworld.”

“ I think I have some friends who could help you with that.” I was reminded of Percy and Annabeth who had braved the underworld countless times and of Nico, who probably had the best chance of all. Hades wouldn’t deny him entry. “ However, I don’t think that’ll be necessary, she has a pulse. It’s very faint but it’s there.”I thought of Piper when she sacrificed her memories for this curse, she was like this. 

That was the last I saw her before this curse tore us apart. All throughout the day, I tried to convince her that it was wrong, because I knew it’s not what Jason would’ve wanted. I even told the rest of the seven and Nico to see if one of them could talk her out of it, it was all in vein. She seemed to lock on that she would never be able to enact this curse in broad daylight when we were all watching her like hawks. Her solution was to sneak out at night and then take part in the ritual. What she didn’t count on was that I would be watching, as she offered up her memories of Jason for the price of the curse. Watching as she too collapsed on the ground. Rushing to her, to make sure she was okay before we were ripped apart. What she wasn’t counting on was Percy having left camp earlier, to discuss with the Gods how to stop the curse. Only, it couldn’t be stopped, the best they could do would be to preserve our memories, so that we could step up and break the curse. There was no guarantee of our powers.

“I’m sorry.” Henry’s voice jolted me out of my thoughts. “This wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for me.” His voice sounded thick with tears; and I looked up from the near lifeless body in front of me, to see that I was right, he really did care. “I got too overprotective with Kaydance, I realise that now. It’s just, it’s just that she’s everything to me, my oldest friend, the only one who didn’t run away when she found out about my dysfunctional family and that my moms have magic. For she knew exactly how it felt.”

“I understand.” I reassured him “That’s how I felt most of my life too. I was kicked out from school to school before I finally found a place where I belong, with other kids just like me. But even then I felt like the seventh wheel amongst all their relationships.” 

“What was this place?”

“It was a camp of sorts for - for demigods.”

“Demigods?”

“Yeah it’s basically where-” I stopped mid sentence noticing Kay’s breathing become shallower. “She hasn’t got much time left, is there anywhere we could take her?”

“I know of a place.”


	11. Bargaining with death - Henry Mills

There wasn’t anything for it, as much as I didn’t want to, I had to involve dark magic. I had to save her. “It’s just down a couple of streets, but how will we get her there?”

“Leave that up to me,” was the demigod’s reply as he carefully scooped her up in his arms. “Now which way do we go?”

I led the way to Mr Gold’s shop, as much as if didn’t want to involve my grandfather, there was nothing else I could do. “Stay out here for my signal to come in, this guy is dangerous...he’s also family.” Leo just nodded, not questioning and as I reflected on it, we were really alike. 

I took a deep breath and entered trying to channel my both my mothers’ confidence when talking to my grandfather. “Grandfather?”- he hobbled our the back room. 

“Henry, what a surprise, fancy you paying me a visit.”

“Stop the nice act. I know you’re not under the influence of the curse, I need your help.”

“Please?”- He said in his irritable Rumplestitskin voice.

“I need your help PLEASE.”

“Now, what can I help with?”

“Look it’s important and it involves Kaydance.”

“All magic comes at a price deary. Are you sure you’re willing to pay?”

“Whatever the price I’ll pay it, now what is it you want?”

“I want answers, how did you manage to retain your memories?”

“Because of Kaydance that is. Long story short, I wrote that a curse was coming in the book, we argued how to stop it, finally agreed on finding the rest of the family because they might know what to do. She then tried to teleport us to them, too late. We teleported out the other side of the curse with our memories, and now she needs our help-” I finally took a breath, getting increasingly flustered.

“Why can’t she just come to me for help herself?”

“Because she’s not exactly conscious right now, the journey here drained her and then she ended up using her powers again, to protect me and someone else from attacking each other, she needs your help.”

I go outside and gesture for Leo to come in with her, God how I hate seeing her like this. Rumples eyes widen in shock as she’s brought in, and Leo remarks 

“She’s on the verge of death, her breathing keeps getting shallower. At this rate, soon she won’t be breathing at all.” Rumple gestured for us to take her into the back room, and lay her on the bed, that we have used many a time, when someone has been under the sleeping curse. 

“You see Kay’s branch of magic is probably the most powerful of all,” Rumple began. “Even more so than the power of your two mothers combined and has developed very early on, compared to Emma and Regina who’s powers developed later in life. She is extraordinary, there are no limits to her power and what she could be capable of in fact, she would be a worthy match for me. Yet her power runs purely out of hope, and it appears that not only the negativity of the curse but... Henry, your over protectiveness for her is causing her to feel entrapped, and by doing so you are helping smother and drain her, of her power. Causing her to lose hope in herself and her abilities, hence why she is in her current state. All magic comes with a price deary and hers is the steepest price of all- friendship.”

“Can you do anything about it?”- I queried.

“In this world it appears we have all been stripped of our magic, that is apart from her and those who enacted the curse, so there is no magical solution.”

These words were enough to push me to the brink. It was all my fault. Gold had said it himself, I was draining her. I had the heart of the truest believer yet had given up hope - wait that was it! 

“Rumple but what about my heart?”

“What about it?”

“The heart of the truest believer.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“Well my heart should be full of hope and belief now shouldn’t it-“

“Guys hurry up please, she wasn’t got long left, only a couple of minutes or so-” Leo interjected.

Just then a shadowy figure dressed all in black entered the shop, he walked over to where we were in the back of the shop and looked down at Kaydance as she lay on the bed. 

“Nico?” Leo questioned.

“Leo, what are you doing here, we’ve been looking for you?”

“I’m sorry I was looking for you all, but then, this happened and yeah, I’ll explain later. How did you find me?”

“I didn’t find you, I came because I sensed death.”

“What?”- I couldn’t help myself from asking.

“This girl here, she’s weak, she’s dying.”

“Isn’t there anyway in which we could save her, anyway at all?”- I was getting desperate.

“Like I said before there’s no magic in this town other than her own, the only one who can save her is herself. She needs hope and now more than anything you are all helping kill her, with your doubt that she’ll survive.”- I’d never seen Rumplestiltskin get so frantic. “And in response to what you were saying earlier, Henry yes your heart is full of hope but what good will that do when we have no magic to rip it out your chest. I’m sorry but there is no solution.”

That’s was the last straw, that lead to everyone breaking out in a full blown argument, during which Rumplestiltskin has left. 

“STOP EVERYONE STOP!” -shouted Nico - “She’s gone.”

“What?” I exclaimed for the second time today.

“She’s dead.” He replied. 

“She- she cant be. I refuse to accept it.”

“Look, my father is the God of the underworld, I can tell when someone is dead, I’m sorry.”

They hugged me and apologised that they couldn’t be more use as tears rolled down our faces. 

It was then she took a breath.

“Henry?”- she asked. “Henry?”

“Kaydance?”

“W-What happened?”

“Nico can you explain this?”

“No it’s impossible I don’t understand how she’s done it.”

“What- What have I done?”

“Kay, this is Nico, he’s the son of Hades he said that you, that you, just died right now.”

“But I’m here right now.”

“That’s what doesn’t make sense.”

“I think I might know.” - Piped up Leo. “Rumplestilskin said that she her magic is that most powerful of all, maybe that’s why her soul couldn’t be contained in the Underworld.”

“ I-I don’t understand I’m not powerful I’m barely 16.”

“ Kay, you’re the only one with magic in this town.” - I tried to reassure her.

“So?”

“And Kay, I’m the one who basically caused you to die by making you feel trapped with my overprotectiveness. I can’t stay here with you, it’s for your own good.” I turned to face Leo and Nico, “Please take care of her for me, and Kay please rest for me, I don’t want to be responsible for hurting you.”

She reached out for my hand.“But what will you do, where will you go?” 

“I don’t know.”

“Don’t leave me.”

“I have no choice I really can’t harm you.”

“At least then find Harry, who we talked to earlier, stay with him.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want you to be left on your own, you’ll need friends, Harry won’t abandon you.”

“I will, I’ll find my family first though,” and with that I left the shop without saying goodbye, goodbyes are just too painful.


	12. Escape Artist - Kaydance

“Leo, go get the others,” barked Nico. “I’ll stay here with Kaydance.”

I struggled, thrashing to sit upright as Leo left out the door. 

“No, stay down you need your rest,” he informed me. 

Still I struggled, I was determined, I would find Henry. “I’ll be fine, I can do this. Speaking of which there’s no need to babysit me, I’m almost seventeen.” I said, employing a tactic I learnt from Dudley all those years ago. If you want sympathysay how you’re ‘only 16,’ but if you want to get your own way you say ‘I’m almost 17’. I just hoped this kid would fall for it as well as all the adults did. 

“Nice try but you’re not going anywhere.”

“On the contrary,” I replied teleporting out of the shop into the backstreets of Storybrooke. It wasn’t ideal conditions, there were brick walls either side and a cobblestone pavement. They were musty, dirty and I most certainly didn’t want to be here when it was dark but, I’d finally gotten away from him. Now I could finally get to Henry, although that would probably be best achieved on foot, I need to conserve my magic for when I really need it. Or at least that was what I had in mind, before the boy walked out of the shadows. “Two can play that game,” he remarked. 

“Why are you doing this, just because Henry told you to doesn’t mean you have to do anything, you barely know him?!”

“Look I’ve just seen you die and come back to life, you’re the only one in the town who has magic, and I’m the only one of my friends to keep their powers. We just want to help you here,” he said, stressing every syllable of the last sentence before continuing,”Please let us help you.”

“But how do I know if I can trust you?”

“You don’t okay, I get that, but just this once take a chance.” Nico extended his hand and I faltered. Should I trust him, I barely know him, for all I know he could be working with those who enacted the curse? But then again he’s Leo’s friend and surely Leo wouldn’t be friends with, let alone hanging around with the enemy, would he? And then there was Henry, he trusted them and that was all I needed to know. I accepted his hand.

“Ok, you can help, but know this I’m the one giving orders around here and you will refer to me as either Your Majesty or The Queen, you got that?” That remark was all it took to relieve the overbearing tension between us as we both broke into fits of laughter. When Leo and I group of people who I presumed were ‘the others’ arrived.

“What’s she doing out of bed?” He asked with concern in his voice. “Never mind, we have bigger problems right now Piper’s gone rogue not only that but she’s changed. She’s darkened. Seems like we are going to be needing your help after all Kaydance. I’d better introduce you to the team, we have Percy here, he can usually control water,” I looked to who he was referring to to see a boy my age with jet black hair and sea green eyes, makes sense although I noted the use of ‘usually’. “Next we have Annabeth, who is mostly unaffected by the curse as her powers are more strategic thinking and planning skills,” as I watched she calmly walked over and judo flipped Leo.

“Watch what you say big mouth,” was her response before joining Percy. 

“She also scares the crap outta me. After that we have Hazel, who did possess small quantities of magic and was able to to control gems and precious metals. Next we have Frank who was a shapeshifter but currently is just Frank. Finally we have Jason, he could fly and control lighting that sort of thing. Guys this is Kaydance, she’s been living here for how long?”

“Three years nearly.”

“She also happens to possess the strongest branch of magic, which relies purely out of hope.”

“Don’t talk about me like that Leo. I barely know how to control this magic. I’ve had no training or whatsoever, whatever I did earlier with you and Henry and the force fields I’m telling you now I have never done before.”

“Training you say,” said Annabeth a look of wonder glimmering in her grey eyes “We may not have our powers but we still know how to train.”

“You’re all so nice but I can’t. I shouldn’t be here, I’m putting you all at risk, in fact I shouldn’t be alive. I should be dead.”

“So should we,” chorused the voices of Leo, Hazel and Jason.

“I was dead until as of earlier today when the curse somehow brought me back to life. I died in battle protecting Piper and Apollo against the Triumvirate, took a spear straight to the chest,” Jason responded to my amazement. 

“And I died defeating the earth mother Gaia but came back to life using the physicians cure,” Leo replied up.

“As for me,” piped up Hazel “I also died many years earlier trying to stop Gaia and was brought back by Nico.”

“You’re one of us.” Percy reassured me. 

“Maybe but as long as I’m here you’re all still at risk.”

“Yes but you’re the only one with the power to defend us,” was Frank’s reply, “and I’d rather stay by the one person who can protect us should any harm come to us, us not having our powers and all than wander alone.”

“I can’t be responsible for all your lives, I’m sorry but I won’t.”

“But Your Majesty,” started Nico,“your royal subjects need you.”

“No Nico don’t start with that, I’m hardly a leader let alone a Queen, I’ll never amount to that much. I’ll never be as heroic as the rest of you.”

“Do not back out of this now, Kay we need you.”

“No, you need someone else, anyone better, just not me I’m destined for destruction.”

“No you’re not, I believe in you. Henry believes in you. You may have had a crappy start to life, but this is your chance to turn it all around. You just have to trust me, can you do that?” And with that I accepted Nicos outstretched hand for the second time today. 

“I think so.”


	13. Broken - Bellatrix Lestrange

The curse worked, I can’t believe it, it worked. Only then did the extent of my sacrifice hit, I was alone in this new world, I may have had my memories but nobody else did.Most painfully of all I didn’t have Rodolphous now either to help, oh god what have I done. Maybe we would’ve been better off running away while we had the chance. Snap out of it Bella, you are one of the most feared witches of the century, you’ve tortured numerous people into insanity and you’ve even been to Azkaban for it, now you’re scared of some silly little curse- one side of my head argued. But Rodolphus had been with us through all of that- the other side argued, and now he was gone.

Look Bella the least you can do is to look around this new world, see what he gave up his life for. Slowly I started walking, careful to take in all my surroundings, it was a nice quaint town, easily hidden or concealed. A perfect place for all time to freeze in place, nobody would suspect a thing. As I walked I noticed a familiar face of my enemies, Harry Potter. Time to see if my plan had truly worked once and for all. “Harry Potter?” I questioned. He snapped around.

“That would be me, do I know you?”

“No, I guess not.”

“Should I know you?” He said placing emphasis on the should. 

“I guess not, I’m just someone from your past that’s all, I doubt you’ll remember me.”

“Funny that, you’re the second person to have said that to me today.”

That’s when I knew someone was trying to break the curse, my curse, my husband paid the price, I was not going to let that be in vain. I would have to do all I could to stop this person from breaking the curse. Not only that but if it was broken so soon the Dark Lord would never forgive me and I too would have to pay. Despite all these thoughts running around my head my reply was “What a co-incidence.”

“Yes what a co-incidence, have a good day ma’am.” And with that he was off. 

I would have to inform my Lord of this immediately, I tried apparating only to find that I couldn’t. Fumbling I retrieved my wand and tried to cast a simple spell, Lumos, the wand lighting charm, it worked. It was only then it hit me that this was a world scarce on magic, we were sealed in by magic. When it came to ensuring the curse wasn’t broken, I would have to take matters into my own hands. But one thing was for certain, I definitely could not inform Voldemort about this new circumstance around magic or that someone was trying to break the curse already. With no other death eaters or enforcements around never before have I felt so truly alone. 


	14. Missing - Nico Di Angelo

There was just something about that new girl, she seemed instantly likeable and everyone seemed to be drawn in to her magnetic personality, yet she didn’t seem to notice. At first I found myself trying to hate her, Piper was to be our first priority and she was merely a distraction, but I was curious, how could she have survived death? I guess curiosity killed the cat, and yet this liking didn’t occur till she was left in my responsibility, when she tried to run and soon enough we found ourselves wrapped in conversation. At that moment I realised she was pure of heart, I would do anything to save her, I considered her one of us. She had been through so much yet continued to stay strong. She reminded me of someone I knew all to well, she reminded me of myself. 

Last night was spent in her apartment, although the curse had taken nearly everything away from her, she still had her home. At first she was timid showing us around, “it isn’t much,” she kept sayingbut to us it was better than we could possibly imagine. It had all the essentials minus weapons and although there were only two bedrooms (one for herself and one for guests), she was happy to offer. them to us, instead sleeping on the floor. Annabeth and Hazel slept in her room, Percy and Jason in the guest and myself and Leo sharing the sofa. We were surprised to find she had her own place, it wasn’t often you came across a sixteen year old with their own apartment. She explained that one of Henry’s moms was the mayor while the other acted as sheriff, when they found out that she was alone, with no family or friends to turn to, the town threw a housewarming party here, celebrating her arrival and welcoming her into the town, graciously donating it to her. It was at that party she informed us, that she met Henry.

Today was her first training day, we had left her getting ready, while they went to set up. I had other plans, I was to track down Piper. Kaydance had offered to do so herself but was outvoted by the others, who thought that sending her after someone she didn’t know wouldn’t be a good idea, although, to be fair I’m surprised that stopped her. Her training was to start in a couple of minutes, right when I was to leave on my side-quest, yet still there was no sign of her. I turned to the six,“Look I’m gonna go now, if anything goes wrong just shout for me and I’ll come.” With that I left, starting at the local diner, Granny’s; Kay said all newcomers end up at Granny’s at some point. I had barely finished looking around and asking the manager, Granny if she had seen anyone by the description of Piper, when I was alerted by the shouts of the six. Here we go again. 

Quickly, I shadow traveled back. “What is it?”

“Kay was supposed to be here for her training 20 minutes ago but she still hasn’t shown up, we looked in her room and she’s not there, she’s done a runner,” Leo remarked, slightly out of breath. 

“Have you checked with Henry, she’s probably gone there,” was my reply, trying to sound calmer than I was inside, she knew this town much better than the rest of us.

“Way ahead of you Nico that was our next stop, he says he hasn’t seen her since what happened yesterday, but says she might have gone towards the town line, to try and get out of town. He can’t help any further, he can’t put her life on the line. Percy and Annabeth should be at the town line now, can you go check with them to see if they have any sign of her, I’ll wait here in case she comes back.”

“Yeah sure.” I made my way over to the town line. “Leo told me what happened, any sign?”

“No, none at all -” was Percy’s reply.

“I knew we shouldn’t have trusted her, she’s nothing but trouble, there has to be a reason she retained her magic. She mentioned another boy, Harry, asked if we knew him. Maybe we weren’t the only curse, maybe there was two curses, one that cursed Harry whoever that might be. It must’ve been her to strike that curse, that’s why she kept her magic,” Annabeth presumed, skeptical as always. 

“Woah, I think that’s taking things a bit to far, there’s a lot of presumption in that.”

“NICO” I heard the recognisable sound of Leo’s voice calling for me. I turned to Percy and Annabeth,“I think they’ve found her.”

I was right, but she wasn’t alone. 

For there stood beside her in all her Aphrodite beauty was Piper.


	15. Talk - Leo Valdez

From the moment Kay didn’t show up I was worried, but what worried me more was when she showed up and more importantly who she brought with her. Nico and I shared a glance, conferred and decided it was best to speak to Kaydance on her own, she trusted us more than the others; still wary after being torn from her past life. Somehow we had proven ourselves to her. Sprinting, I ran up to her, hugged her and whispered in her ear “We need to talk.” Complacent, she followed suite to where Nico was waiting.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” questioned Nico. 

“Well you all said you wanted to find Piper so I decided to help out.”

“I hate to remind you but you were outvoted on that idea remember?” I told her, trying keeping as cool as I could given the situation. 

“Yeah.”

“Then why did you do it?” I asked

“I didn’t think that’s the thing, I acted out of my heart. I wanted to actually be of some use that’s why, I know the others don’t exactly trust me and I wanted to... never mind. Anyway it was better for her to befriend a total stranger, than if one of her friends she was trying to avoid confronted her. I was just trying to help but messed up as always. Why can’t I do something right for once?”

“Kay,” Nico said almost a whisper, his voice much softer now as tears began to roll down her face. “How did you manage to track her?”

Her reply was a loud sobbing then “ I think you know.” 

We both turned to each other and said in unison,“You used your powers didn’t you?”

She nodded and stumbled crying into both of our arms, never before have I wanted to care for and protect somebody more, and felt more vulnerable than ever knowing that although I wanted to protect her with every fibre of my being... in the end she would have to protect us.

I couldn’t believe I was about to say it after yesterday but,”Do you want us to take you to Henry?”

I looked to Nico, he didn’t object. Her reply was but a feeble,

“Please.”

It was then I got an insight into her past. She did everything for everyone without regard to herself or her emotions, just doing what she thought would make others happy. She only considered herself when someone else asked. She hadn’t just had a traumatic past.

She had been abused.


	16. Reunion - Piper McLean

It worked, at last. This world I had created was mine to rule over forever more, although, I can’t remember the exact reason for creating it. C’mon Piper think. 

It was at this moment I witnessed a bunch of people I recognised walking down Main Street, I recoiled, they were my ‘friends’, but would they still want to be after I ripped them from their homes, could they forgive me for the sacrifices I had to make for this curse although I can’t remember what sacrifice that was. No I thought, no, they could never forgive me, I was a danger to them all. I was better off left alone. They all seemed in a hurry anyway, obviously getting on with their lives without a second thought to me. 

They aren’t my friends I decided then and there, friends would actually care.

Suddenly, I girl I didn’t recognise stepped out of the shadows ever so slightly. 

“Can you help me?” She panted. “They’re looking for me and I need somewhere to hide.”

“Follow me.”

She was about my age, with brunette hair and large green eyes, she was slim and she told me that was only because she exercised so she could eat as much cake as she wanted. I seemed to trust her instantly, we were both trying to get away from the same people after all. 

We hit it off immediately, that was until she asked “You were trying to get away from them too weren’t you?”

Silence.

“Yeah, I- I was. Why were they after you?”

“They um.. wanted my power.” She informed me before producing a small ball of white light in her palm. “They lost all their powers when the curse hit, they wanted my power to restore it. Did you, did you keep your power?”

“Charmspeak yeah, I can make people do whatever I want.”

“I call that being persuasive.”

We both laughed and then, a pause.

“Why are you trying to hide from them,” she asked.

“I did something terrible, I started this curse. They’ll never forgive me.”

“Yes they will. The whole time I was there they talked about you, they still care you know. In fact, I told I white lie before, they don’t want my power to restore theirs, rather they want to use it to destroy the curse. The reason I had to get away from them before was because they were looking for me. I may have just run away, they’re worried because I’m not the most stable right now, I need to get my powers under control. But that wasn’t the reason I ran away, I ran away because they were going to send a search party out for you and I knew it would only make you retreat further because from the way they talked about you, I felt you would’ve reacted the same as me. But now I’m here, please come back with me, let me prove to you that they still care.” She extended her hand, an offering of friendship. I thought long and hard I mean what if it was a trap? But then I thought that if what she was telling me was true, if so she had risked a lot to find me, and if things went wrong, well I always had my charmspeak.

I accepted her hand and instantly felt dizzy. Then before I could full process it, wee my friends stood huddled around us and Kaydance, getting up shakily was taken apart by Leo and Nico. I guess it was just me and the rest of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, sorry for the slow updates but I’m doing as best as I can to update regularly so that you can continue to enjoy the journey. Hope you enjoy.
> 
> Lux.


	17. A final decision - Piper McLean

I started. Was this all part of an elaborate plan? Had she befriended me only to betray me, well it wouldn’t be the first time. Gods damn it why was I always so gullible? Here I was, she had abandoned me and ran off with Leo and Nico instead, leaving me in the company of my ‘friends’.

“I’ll just get going.” I said timidly.

“Where do you think you’re going to run off to?” Queried Annabeth.

“As if we’d allow that.” Percy joined in.

The concern in their voices brought me to my senses, she was right. They are my friends. They do care. I’d almost lost them forever and here they were right in front of me just as I remembered and I got the familiar feeling of being able to take on the world by their side.

But then I realised. Something is off. No wait not something but someone. There amongst my closest friends was a boy about my age, with blond hair and blue eyes, a scar just above his lip.

“What the hell you guys?! What is HE doing here?” I pointed at the boy. “First of all you try to replace me with that new girl Kaydance or whoever and now this. Now you’re trying to replace me with yet another nobody.” The boy looked hurt, they all did but I was the one who had been lead on, I was the one who had been betrayed and misguided not them, if anything it was me that deserved to be upset not them. “You’ll pay for this you know. I will make you all pay for what you’ve put me through. The lies, the treachery, the deceit. No more. This friendship is no more.” I walked away, nobody trying to stop me (what good friends they are). I turned around to face them all one more time, just out of earshot before whispering,“and soon you will all join it. Dead.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you’re all enjoying so far and continue to enjoy the characters’ journey. I’m trying to update whenever I have the time so I hope you all like it and I’ll try to update whenever possible.  
Lux.


	18. Alliances - Henry Mills

I regretted it the moment I left her, but it was for the best. I just hoped that they’d be able to handle her, because I knew from experience that she had a fiery streak and could sometimes be a bit of a handful but even so that didn’t mean that I cared about her any less.

I walked sombrely through the streets of Storybrooke, thinking about what I’d just done. Had I really made the right decision to leave her to be looked after by strangers? Probably not. The pained look in her eyes as I left her haunted me as I walked home. Maybe I should go back, not even to talk to her I told myself, just to check that she was okay. No. Gold had made it clear enough that I was a danger to her. Then again that hadn’t stopped anyone else in this god forsaken town from doing what they did for those they care about. Why couldn’t I be the same? 

I arrived home and lay on my bed, a million thoughts swirling in my head and I made up my mind, as much as I wanted to see her again, to apologise and say sorry, I couldn’t. The least I could do would be to honour her wishes, to find Harry again and pray that she was right about him being a loyal friend. With that thought in my mind I fell asleep.

* * *

**The next day.**  
  
I found Harry at Granny’s having breakfast with two other people who looked about the same age. One was a girl, with big brown almond eyes and long bushy hair. The other was a boy, with ginger hair and blue eyes. I went up to the counter, ordered a hot chocolate, with extra cinnamon of course and asked Granny what she knew about them. It wasn’t much, because she like nearly every resident in this town had had her memories distorted by the curse. Hot chocolate in hand, I approached the table. “It’s Harry isn’t it?”

“Yeah, sorry I didn’t quite catch your name yesterday.”

“Henry, Henry Mills. My mom is the mayor of the town and my other mom is the sheriff. I was erm...hoping that I could sit with you.”

“What happened to your friend?”

“Kaydance, she’s out of town for a bit. But I remember her saying that you two were childhood friends quite a few years ago, although it was probably so long ago that you don’t remember.” I felt bad about lying directly to them on my first proper meeting but unfortunately it was the only thing I could do. The truth was just too complicated. They wouldn’t have believed me anyway.

“So that’s why she got so upset yesterday. I’m so sorry I upset her, will you tell her that for me?” She was right, they truly were good people, or Harry at least.

“I will, I’m sure she’ll appreciate it. In the meantime I was hoping it would be alright if I hung around with you guys?”

“Yeah that’s fine, we don’t mind. This is Ron.” He gestured at the ginger boy sat next to him. “And this is Hermione” he gestured at the girl sat opposite, who gave a shy smile and a wave. 

“So how long is Kaydance away for?” Queried Hermione.

“A month.” That should give us enough time to break the curse I thought. After all we just had to find two people who were soulmates and believed in true love. How hard could that possibly be?

“So are you guys dating?” Asked Ron.

“Ron, you can’t just ask someone you barely know about their love life!” A very red faced Hermione interjected before I could reply.

“It’s alright. But no we’re not dating.” After this, conversation came quickly and we soon found ourselves close friends.Although couldn’t help but notice that Hermione looked at me differently in comparison to the boys, maybe she secretly distrusted me still, or maybe it was something else. Either way we soon found ourselves departing Granny’s clutching our sides in laughter. That was, until we saw what was engraved into the wall of the library.

A prophecy.


	19. Fractured - Henry Mills

“No, no you can’t be here.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean you have to go-“ with that I shut the door. 

Today had started the same as any other. It had been three days now since we discovered the prophecy and I was starting not to worry as much, I mean as of yet nothing had occurred so maybe it was just a fake, just some kid trying to memorialise their poetry. I continued to write as the author and found there had been no mention of the prophecy and judging from what I wrote, Kaydance was coping just fine without me. Although I gotta admit that kinda hurt. I miss her. As much as I like my new friends nothing compares to when we would just be ourselves with one another, no secrets like I have to keep from Harry, Ron and Hermione. They don’t know about my responsibility as the author, and she doesn’t realise that I’m still watching over her from afar. I hate how completely alone this feels although I realise that it’s for the best. The prophecy made that clear from the start, and just when I was managing to convince myself, like I had done the others, that it was ultimately nothing; she shows up. 

Of course Kay showed up at my door in tears and completely unannounced with the two people I trusted to keep her away from me. Some part of me should be relieved to see my best friend again but I’m not. Because her being here means that she is in a precarious position. I’m a danger to her, and quite frankly I don’t think she is going to be stopped by a door to say the least.

Needless to say, I was right about the door. She teleported into the room instead. 

“Henry? Did I do something wrong?I just wanted to talk.” Silence. “I shouldn’t have come should I? I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry.”

“No you shouldn’t have come-“ I said sternly, before softening “but I’m kinda glad you did.” She embraced me, filling me with the type of warmth that came only from her. God, how I had missed her. No stop that Henry you can’t get used to her being here. You know it’s not going to work out. You know that it’s pointless. You’re going to have to leave her again. But she is here right now. The least I can do is hear her out.

“So what is it you wanted to talk about?”

“Henry...” she sat down on my bed. “I miss you. Sure enough I love my other friends but they’re not you. And they’re suspicious.I can tell they don’t all fully trust me, their friendship feels forced for Leo and Nico’s sake. Crap, they’re still outside, I told them I’d let them in. I’m sorry, I’m being self centred but it just... just feels like the whole world is falling apart around me and that you not being there just makes it feel worse. Nothing I do ever seems to be right for them, I’ll never be good enough, not for them or anyone else for that matter. I don’t even know why I try anymore when it just feels like the whole world is against me and I...” She trailed off “I don’t know how much longer I 

can hold on.”

The realisation hit me like a ton of bricks, “But- I thought Rumple said that it was because of me that you were feeling down.”

“It was never you Henry. I guess... I guess I’ve just held onto my problems for so long, that I kind of forgot about them. Retaught myself how to be happy again, that was until I saw Harry again and everything just came flooding back.”

It was at this moment I realised how big of a mistake I’d made. I’d almost lost my best friend in the process.

“Stay with me tonight. Please. Just like old times, I just want to make sure that nothing is going to happen to you.” 

“I’ll stay.” She replied “But only if you tell me why you were so worried to see me.”

“No reason.”

“That’s your ‘I’m lying’ voice.”

“Okay okay. You got me. The real reason I was so worried was because of a prophecy I found when I was with Harry, Ron and Hermione.”

“You’ve got to tell me what it is now, cmon you can’t keep it a secret forever.”

“Who said anything about keeping it a secret?”

“Oh Henry I know you, you’d want to keep it a secret to protect everyone even if it meant sacrificing yourself.”

“I don’t know if you’re ready for it.”

“Please.”

“I might as well, you’ll have found out soon enough anyway. The prophecy goes like this:

A hero of hope, of kindness and light,

With friends and with family, the dark she will fight,

Two star crossed lovers, fated from the start,

A curse between them, dooming their hearts.

Trapped in a second, a dark, dangerous curse,

But the feelings they have, soon become the reverse,

Betrayed by their friends, no hope nor time,

A multiverse silenced, by a despicable crime.

One final sacrifice, remembered by none,

One man lost so the others won,

Moving through worlds, and finding a home,

Through light and shadows, they continue to roam.”

“Is that... about me?”

“I think so, who else?”

“Honestly I don’t know. Maybe Leo and Nico will know.” She went downstairs and unlocked the door, returning a minute or so later with Leo and Nico.

“Kay told us about the prophecy.” Leo said. “We’ve has more than our fair share of them to last a lifetime.”

“We can help figure it out in the morning but for now it’s getting late and we better be leaving to start with your training again in the morning Kay.” Was Nico’s response.

“Actually is like to stay here with Henry tonight if that’s alright? I’ll make sure to be back in time for training.”

“Yeah that’s fine-“ said Nico and then they left and it was just me and her once more. 

“Do you want anything to eat?”

“I’m fine thanks. I just kinda want to go to sleep.”

“Yeah that’s fine by me.” And so we both clambered into my double bed, her on one side and me on the other and drifted to sleep.

* * *

It must’ve been about 3am when I woke up, sensing immediately that something was wrong. I dragged myself upright and turned on my lamp, she was gone; in her place a note in her scrawly handwriting. 

‘I’m so sorry to have to do this to you Henry, let me tell you these past few years have been some of the best in my life, although it is unlikely I will remember them should my plan go correctly. If you are reading this then it is too late for me, for I will have already crossed the town line. It’s better this way, no prophecy will come true and you can break the curse without me. Love you, Kay.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, I’m aware that the new Trials of Apollo has just been realised, I have the book but have not yet read it and thought I should point out that because of this it is unlikely to be a part of the fan fiction currently however may possibly be incorporated later down in the storyline. As for now it is assumed that Apollo is on a quest shortly after Jason’s death, continuing to try and free the oracles.  
Lux.


	20. The worst curse of all - Bellatrix Lestrange

I couldn’t sleep, haunted by the prophecy. But I couldn’t tell Henry, I’d promised him that I was ready for this. I should’ve been more prepared. I lay there with my eyes closed trying to process how I could ever possibly undo this prophecy. “Light” must’ve been referring to me, that much had been established. But a “despicable crime,” whatever that could be, I couldn’t let it happen.

I must’ve stayed there debating my options until about 2am when I realised, this was a dark curse, meaning that if anyone with their memories tried to leave, they’d find that their memories would be wiped. That was it, that was my way out, but I couldn’t leave without saying goodbye to Henry. I couldn’t wake him up because I knew he would just try and stop me, the best I could do was to write a note. God damn it I’m such a coward. I kissed my hand and placed it on his sleeping forehead. “You were always such a good friend to me, I’m sorry to have to put you through this.” I took one last glance at my closest friend and wondered how I could ever imagine a life without him, which I guess I won’t have to, because soon enough that would become my reality.

I would need my strength I thought, so I decided to walk, instead sticking to the shadows as a precaution. It took me about ten minutes to reach the town line and I was thankful to not have met anyone else on my way here. Tentatively I stepped out of the shadows and approached the town line, I was having second thoughts. Maybe this wasn’t the best idea after all, maybe there were better options out there. That was when I heard the voice

* * *

** Bellatrix’s point of view **

I saw her long before she saw me, so this was the girl that Rumple had warned me about. I gotta admit I expected more. For one thing she was a wreck, but she definitely matched Rumple’s description of her. So this was the girl, who as long as she at the very least retained her memories, would be the new saviour. I couldn’t have that happening now could I?

I called out to her,”I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Why warn her I hear you say, well I couldn’t exactly encourage her to leave now could I? Because that would just make her suspicious and make her want to stay even more, but I also knew that if I didn’t say anything she wouldn’t go ahead with it. She just need a shove in the right direction. “It won’t help you in the way you want.”

“What I want more than anything is to forget.”

“And why’s that?”

“Because remembering is the worst curse of all.”

“You know crossing the town line won’t change your involvement in the curse, it won’t rewrite destiny. You will merely forget all about it, you’d be as clueless as Harry.”

“And just as happy; Harry with his fake memories seems just as if not happier than when we were together as children.”

“You know that’s not how the curse it supposed to work it’s supposed to be torture.”

“Then it’s clearly doing it job now isn’t it?!” She was slowly getting more and more aggravated, just what I wanted.

“You could always use your powers to escape unscathed you know. Something or more importantly someone is holding you back though. You have people out there who care about you you know, I’m fact they’re probably on their way right now.”

“That’s exactly why I have to go ahead with this, my powers, they aren’t a blessing, they’re a curse and as long as I remember I have them I’m a danger to them all. And you were right I don’t have much time left, Henry will have probably realised that I’m missing and be on his way as we speak, so if you really don’t mind I’ll be crossing that line now.”

My work was done and a smile crossed my face as I watched her cross the line. She screamed, then fell to the ground before rocking herself back and forth, muttering to herself the same words over and over, barely loud enough for me to hear.

”I’m not a murderer. I’m not a murderer.”

Henry was 30 seconds too late, now he knew what it was like to lose the person you love most.


	21. Memories - Henry Mills

I was so close, so close. If only I’d woken up a minute earlier or if I didn’t spend so long reading and re-reading the letter. If only I’d acted quicker... if only, if only I hadn’t made her feel as if she couldn’t confide in me, that she would have to go to this extent to be happy again.

I arrived in time to watch as she crossed the town line, helpless. Nevertheless, I rushed over, a sinking feeling in my stomach as I knew instantly it was too late. Her screams echoed into the night, each breaking me slightly more inside. I wanted to cross the line just to hold her tight and not let go. But I held back, she was relying on me to save her. After all she’s sacrificed I couldn’t let her down.

Finally after a couple of minutes or so her screams died down and she fell to the floor just behind the line, before curling in on herself and rocking herself like she was traumatised.

Cautiously I approached, I don’t know what fake memories she was given. I placed a hand on her shoulder. Are... are you alright?” She turned to face me.

“I...I guess so. Who are you?”

“Do you not remember me?” She paused, seemingly lost in thought.

“I’m sorry, no.”

“Are you sure?”

“Certain.”

“Well what do you remember?”

“How do I know if I can trust you, I don’t even know your name?”

“I’m Henry, I’m a friend. Please just tell me what you remember so that I can help you.”

“Help me with what?”

“Please, just tell me what you remember. Do you remember how you got here?”

“It’s... it’s fuzzy.”

“What do you remember from before tonight?”

“Everything.” Well that was one of the biggest lies ever, how could she remember everything if she didn’t remember me? We’d been inseparable for the past three years until recently. I just don’t understand. She must’ve seen the confusion plastered on my face because she started to explain herself.

“I’m an orphan, my parents died when I was very young and I had no siblings.” I knew this to be true. “Aged two to ten I lived with a foster family. They were nice enough to me because they’d always wanted a daughter, but then I started displaying signs of being different. They didn’t like different and they turned on me too. Then one day I had enough, packed my bags and left. I was left fending for myself for roughly three years until I arrived here, where I arrived and was welcomed immediately, and here I have lived peacefully for the past three years. That was until this curse-”

“Wait, you know about the curse?”

“Yeah, I mean you won’t know this because we’ve only just met but I have magic, so I used it to evade the curse.”

Something must’ve gone wrong, the curse has never acted like this before. Everything she said about her previous life was true apart from she didn’t remember me or Harry. Surely the curse can’t pick which parts to erase out of a persons life, unless... No it couldn’t be, but I have to be sure.

“Kaydance-“

“How do you know my name, I’m certain I didn’t tell you my name?”

“That’s not the biggest issue right now. Do you remember Leo or Nico?”

“What’s with all these questions I’ve already told you all I know?!”

“Please just answer me.”

“How come I have to answer all your questions but you won’t answer mine? That doesn’t seem very fair to me.”

“That’s because if I answered your questions you wouldn’t believe me.”

“Says who.”

“Me. I know you Kaydance. I know how stubborn you can be-” She was starting to get defensive I could feel it in the air, her fists lay clenched at her sides. They were beginning to emit a white light as she got more aggravated. 

“Was that an insult?!”

“-and I fell in love with you for it.”

Silence.

That sure wasn’t the way I was planning on telling her my feelings. I was sure she o my thought of me as a friend.

After what felt like forever she finally spoke,”No I don’t remember Nico or Leo either. I’m sorry.”

Gently I took her hand in mine. “Do you trust me?”

She laughed,”Do I trust the boy who I don’t have any recollection of meeting and who just confessed his undying love for me? I guess we’ll just have to find out.”

“Good because I might just have a way to get your lost memories back that is, if you want them back?”

“It would be helpful to say the least.”

“Follow me then, we’re going to my house.”


	22. Two sides - Kaydance

I woke up just outside of the town line in unbearable pain. I heard screams, and I knew instantly that, that couldn’t be good. I had to help. That was when my brain registered the screams. No. It can’t be. Despite the pain, I managed to curl myself into the fetal position. “I’m not a murderer,” I whispered to myself for confirmation. I repeated myself, hoping the more I said it, the more true it would be. 

Finally, after what felt like forever, the screams ceased, the pain subsided a little and I felt a hand on my shoulder. A boy, about my age with brown hair and hazel eyes. I didn’t recognise him but he seemed under the impression that he knew me. 

At first I was wary, how did he know that I’d be here at this exact time? Why was he asking so many questions about me? Why was he so concerned about someone he had never met before in his life? Or was that just me? Had I been starved of affection for so long, that I’d forgotten what it felt like to have someone who cared? I mean I knew I’d been by myself in life for almost as long as I could remember, was this really what I’d been reduced to? It must’ve been that concern that made me trust him. He seemed to have good intentions and we both had a shared goal of wanting to break the curse.He had also confessed his love for me, which I guess meant that I could rely on him should I need it. I knew about the curse and I knew the only way to break it was with true love’s kiss. I also knew that crossing the town line resulted in someone losing their memories, so I guess what he told me could’ve been plausible; except for the fact that I still remembered, just not him. Anyway, I thought, why would I have crossed the town line in the first place, that seems like a ridiculous move even for me? Yet here I was, seemingly having crossed the line and with a boy I have no recollection of, asking me if I trust him. Not your average day to say the least: then again what exactly qualifies as being an average day at Storybrooke?

I decided to go with the boy, Henry I think his name was. He genuinely seemed like he wanted to help after all and I guess, if things went wrong I always had my powers. He wanted to help me regain my memories after all, and even though I wasn’t fully convinced I’d lost them to begin with, what harm could it do? 

We walked together to his house, I stumbled a few times and he gave me those concerned eyes again.

“I’m alright,” I told him. He looked at me disbelieving, seeing straight through my act. He was right to look at me that way, I’m not alright, I feel so drained. But I’ve got to keep going. After what felt like ages, we arrived at his house, it was big and painted grey outside. It’s structure was completely unique, seeming to be half house combined with a castle turret, and complete with an unmistakable yellow VW Beetle outside. “Wait your mum is the sheriff?!”

“Yeah, my other mum is the mayor.”

“Wait... you’re Henry Mills. As in son of two of the most powerful woman to possess magic, grandson of Rumplestiltskin, the heart of the truest believer and author Henry Mills?!”

“That would be me. Now are we going to try and get you your memories back or not?”

I was suddenly a lot more enthusiastic about this. I knew who he was and I knew that he would never betray someone. Apparently I was a good judge of character, who would’ve thought it? Then again who would’ve thought that I’d be going into the house of THE Henry Mills, almost everyone who was anyone knew about him and his family.

“Well that’s what we came here to do isn’t it?” I said trying to remain my composure.

He ushered me to his room, “Make yourself at home, I’ll be right back I’ve just got to get something.”

I sat on his bed watching him seeking for something in his wardrobe until he pulled out the authors book. He looked up at where I was balanced on his bed,”I see you’ve found your usual perch. You always used to love sitting there.” Then before I had time to react he placed the book gently on my lap.

“Wha-“

“Just pick it up. Flip through it a bit, then tell me if you remember.” I did as I was asked.

“I’m sorry, I still don’t remember.” I continued to flip through the book until I saw a familiar drawing. “Wait, is that us?”

“Yeah, it was from a while ago, probably about two years or so.”

“You mean this book has our whole friendship documented in it? Am I alright to sit and read it?”

“Yeah that’s fine. Do you want food? Scratch that you’re always hungry course you want food, I’ll pick us something up from Granny’s.”

“Thanks for everything Henry.” 

“It’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you Kaydance.” With that he walked out the door and I began to read.

* * *

** Henry’s point of view **

God damn it I thought. I’ve tried literally everything to get her remember. Well... I guess not  everything but still. It’s not like I was just going to kiss her when she had absolutely no memory of who I am, that would only result in her pushing me away. But at least she knows I wasn’t lying about knowing her. I just hope that her reading the book will be enough, even if it just brings a part of the person she used to be back.

Before I knew it I was at Granny’s. I placed our order and stood at the countertop waiting. I didn’t realise I was so lost in thought until Hermione joined me at the counter.

“Hi Henry.”

“Hi.” Just then my order was ready.

“That’s a lot of food you got there. You sure you’re gonna manage?”

“It’s not all for me, it’s for Kay too. I’m sorry but I better be going, you haven’t had the pleasure of seeing her when she’s hungry.”

“Actually, I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure of meeting her at all. Anyway, I was just leaving, I’ll join you.”

“You don’t have to it’s fine. I know you’ll probably have better things to do.”

“It’s no problem, honestly.” She was insistent, I’ll give her that much, but as long as she wanted to walk with me; then I was okay with it. 

“How is she by the way? Kaydance that is.” I flinched. How could I answer that? I mean she was definitely not alright: she had no memory of me or anyone else. But I couldn’t lie and say she was okay when she wasn’t.

“Henry, are you okay? Was it something I said?”

“No, I mean yes. Yes I’m okay. It’s just... it’s just that Kaydance she crossed-“ I cut myself off, I couldn’t tell her the truth, that Kay had in fact crossed the town line. She was still under the influence of the curse. She’s think I was crazy.

“Crossed what?”

“She erm crossed the street, straight into THAT lamppost.” I pointed at a street lamp across the street from us. “She hit her head quite hard and she’s kind of suffering from slight amnesia.”

“I’m so sorry Henry, butjust know that I’m here for you and if you need me you know where to go.” At this point we had stopped just outside of my house.

“Well I’d better be off, feed Kay and all.”

“Actually before you go I’ve been meaning to tell you something.”

“What?”

She never answered the question, her actions were enough as she crashed her lips to mine. Half my brain told me not to engage, after all I would only be leading her on since my heart truly lay with someone else. The other side told me to engage, to pretend it was Kaydance. I can’t deny not fantasying about kissing her or what it would be like, maybe just maybe it might be just like this. It was this side of the brain that won out. Dropping the bags of food to the floor I found myself enthralled. My hands in her hair and hers in mine. That was until I remembered, she wasn’t Kaydance. Kay was upstairs right now, and as we broke apart, I saw that unluckily for me; she had witnessed the whole thing.


	23. First Impressions - Henry Mills

How could this day get any worse?! Only the girl I loved and who I had confessed my love too, had now witnessed me kissing someone else. Gods what I have I done?

Hurriedly, I picked up the bags once more and rushed inside. What was I going to say to her? I couldn’t possibly deal with losing her again. Hesitantly, I approached my room. “I got your favourite... onion rings!” I tried to sound enthusiastic.

She thrust the book into my arms. 

“So if this really is our past, if this book has really shown me everything we’ve been through together; then why, why would you lie to me? After all we’ve been through or supposedly been through. You don’t really care about me do you? You’re just trying to manipulate me. That’s all it was. That’s all it ever was. You confessing your feelings for me, that was all manipulation wasn’t it?”

“No I wasn’t lying to you not about our past or about my feelings you. Kaydance, you’re the only girl I want.”

“Then answer this, why were you kissing that other girl?”

“I... I can’t explain it.”

“Exactly, because you know what you did was wrong!”

“Yes it was wrong I’ll admit to it. There’s no justification for my actions.”

“To think I actually trusted you. That I actually thought that I liked you back, and you betrayed me. Tell me, did you ever love me or was this just part of your plan?”

“Wait- you... you like me back?”

“Not anymore.”

“Do you want to know why I did it? I did it because I knew you would never fall for me and not because I like Hermione but because in the moment I truly thought to myself, this is what it could be like to kiss the love of your life. You’re the love of my life Kaydance.”

“Well it’s too bad, because you’ve lost me now.” With that she stormed off. 

“Wait,” I called after her,”why aren’t you using your powers?” Kaydance wasn’t one for controlling her powers when emotional, even just small outbursts. That’s when it dawned on me. 

“You’re not Kaydance are you?”

The woman lifted the illusion,”It took you long enough.”


	24. Superiority - Bellatrix Lestrange

When I heard that the curse was able to be broken I was not happy to say the least. Especially not at the fact that at this rate it was going to be broken by a bunch of teenagers! I had to put a stop to it. But I had to do so subtly so they wouldn’t expect a thing. That’s why I found myself at Rumplestilskin’s. “I need your help.”

“And why’s that deary?”

“It was me. I enacted the curse and now there’s a group of teenagers out there trying to break it?!”

“What do you want me to do about it?”

“I want YOU to put a stop to it.”

“You see that’s where I can’t help you. How these teenagers retained their memories and are in fact aware of the curse taking place is beyond me and I can’t interfere in your behalf as I don’t have any magic. That means it’s up to YOU if they annoy you so much.”

“Their deaths despite how sweet, would be unnecessary and I don’t need an inquiry. Surely you must be able to tell me a way in which I can target the group?”

“You see that girl there?” He pointed to a girl in the centre of the group with long brunette hair just past her chest. Her back was turned, and I couldn’t get a glimpse of her face, Rumple continued. “Kaydance. She’s the ringleader of sorts. Too trusting. She also happens to have magic like yourself.”

“So if I target her then the whole group falls apart without a leader.” I was instantly reminded of the death eaters after Voldemort’s supposed death. “Maybe I can get away with just a little murder.”

“No. You see, there’s a prophecy. She is the saviour, not that she knows it. If you kill her the curse will be broken instantly, as it will be if you allow her to cross the town line.”

I was getting irritated at this point, “So what do you expect me to do?!”

“I suggest you make her forget.”

“I can do that but then what? Am I supposed to just let her go again or what? I mean surely someone will notice her going missing especially if she’s this popular.”

“Not if they don’t suspect a thing. You do have cloaking spells right?”

“Of course, are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“I’m thinking that I seem to recall an aspect of her future where she decides to try and cross the town line today in the dead of night.”

“So that’s when I’ll act. Name your price Rumple.”

“Let’s just say I’m invested in your future Bellatrix.”

* * *

** A few hours later at the town line **

I spotted her coming a mile off, I mean who else would be running for the town line, constantly checking in each direction to make sure they weren’t being followed? Safe to say she was not good at keeping a low profile. Right now that was the least of my worries, it was time to do my thing. I stepped out of shadows.

“So you’re the famous Kaydance I have been hearing so much about?” I purred. 

“I don’t know so much about famous but yes that’s me. Who are you?”

I whipped out my wand; 12 and 3/4 inches long, walnut and a core of dragon heartstring, and wrote ‘Bellatrix Lestrange’ in the air. “Don’t forget that name.”

I watched as her face contorted into numerous expressions, processing what she’d just seen before settling on loathing.

“It was you. YOU enacted the curse that brought Harry and his friends here.”

“My my we’ve got a feisty one here.” I was taunting, jeering. “But yes I take full credit for the construction of the curse.”

“But why Harry, what’s so special about him?”

I could see her unease growing, but looked before me, to see not a person, but a small flame of a candle, flickering and I, I would be the one to extinguish that blaze of light. I leant in close to whisper “He had magic all along, not wandless magic like yours, but magic all the same. You just didn’t know it and neither quite frankly did he.”

“But-but.”

“That’s right, it meant that you never had to leave, you could’ve stayed and grown up happy with Harry, learnt magic and developed your powers together. You would’ve been unstoppable. I could help with that you know, that is if you’re willing to join me. I can’t kill Harry or the curse would be broken, but I can give you both fake memories of a life you spent together. We could use someone as powerful as you on our team. You could be happy, you could feel as if you had a childhood again, rather than it spent running away. The choice is really up to you but, if you choose to decline I will kill all your friends and family one by one. I will torture them until they scream out in mercy and you wouldn’t be able to stop it. You’d no longer be seen as the hero, you’d know what it would be like to be viewed by everyone as the villain. Killing you would be too much relief for you and now it is your time to choose your side, are you with me or against me?”

“I don’t have a family, I left them behind a long time ago, you can’t use them to get to me because you can’t leave yourself. I don’t want to be seen as the hero but I’m certainly not the villain. I regret nothing about my choice to leave, but now I will ensure that Harry receives his magic back. As for my friends I will protect them, you underestimate me Bellatrix, I am far more powerful than you know. Underestimating me is probably your biggest mistake. It is for these reasons I am against you. I will never join your side. I will never cave in to being threatened. I will never have a life so empty of love than that of you.”

“In that case, obliviate.” With that she crumpled to the ground so much for being ‘more powerful than you know.’


	25. Inevitable - Kaydance

God how thick did she think I was? Did she not think that I’d preempt she’d pull a stunt like that from the moment she mentioned my past with Harry? I may be trusting but there was a fine line between been too trusting and idiocy. Too busy being dramatic during her speech; she didn’t notice me cast a silent protection charm. A small precaution. Turns out, I was right.

She cast the memory erasing charm and I had a split second to react. Should I remain standing to prove my strength or should I go ahead with her plan, let her think that she had succeeded so that she’d leave my friends alone? I chose the latter. I allowed myself to crumple to the ground. Gently, she scooped me up. I didn’t know where she was taking me or what she was going to do with me, especially now she thought that I’d lost my memories. I lay there limp and feeble in her arms, pretending at having not gained consciousness. 

That was until I realised where she was taking me. 

I didn’t even know it still existed. I thought they’d shut it down by now. 

Frantically, I dropped the act, I needed to escape while I still could. She held on tight to my arm, pulling me back.

“You’re not going anywhere.”

“No, no. You’ve got to let me go. Please.” My voice was laced with desperation.

She pulled me closer, and cupped a hand over my mouth. Leaning in close she whispered,

“I’ve got something special in store for you.” I tensed up and she pushed me forward. “You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting for this. Wait... don’t you hear that?” I listened closely and sure enough I heard that unmistakable voice, Henry.

“Kaydance?” He called.

“That’s where I’m headed next. But first I have a little surprise for you.” Still she hadn’t removed her hand from my mouth- this was my chance. Quickly, I struck, biting her hand. She let go, but she wasn’t giving up easily. 

“Petrificous totalous”

“Stupefy”

She called ranges of curses, hexes and spells after me, each bouncing harmlessly off my protection charm, still having not lifted. I could do this. I could get out of here before it was too late. That was when I ran slap bang into Regina Mills, the mayor. 

“I’m so sorry.” I tried to keep calm given the circumstances.

“Kay, what are you doing down here?”

“It’s a long story.”

“Stop her.” Bellatrix’s shouts could be heard in the near distance getting closer by the second.

The mayor’s face contorted into one of confusion. “Is she after you?”

There was no hope in lying, I knew for a fact it never worked for Henry and quite frankly I couldn’t lie to save my life. 

“Yeah.”

At this point Bellatrix was about 50 metres away. I did the maths, if I could run 100 metres in 14 seconds, then I had an average of just over seven seconds before she reached me at the pace she was going. Yet here I was spending those precious seconds on maths of all things! Too risky to use my powers, Regina’s had her memories wiped, she won’t remember her own powers let alone mine. Not to mention they would be unstable, at moments of high stress and anxiety they always were and I couldn’t risk bringing the building down with me. Not without the guarantee that everyone inside it would be safe. I couldn’t say for certain I could make that guarantee. I looked around me, taking in all my surroundings, hoping I could formulate a plan. One that wouldn’t get hundreds of people killed. I couldn’t find one, everywhere I looked someone was always going to be hurt. God I’m such a freaking failure. 4 more seconds, would Regina possibly defend me? I couldn’t count on it. Why did I have to put myself in this position in the first place? Why couldn’t I have just stayed with Henry instead? Henry. I needed to warn him somehow about the danger of Bellatrix. But how? I could still run I guess, I’m faster by far and adrenaline is surging. That’s gotta help right? The only problem was that Regina was currently blocking the exit.

“I’m sorry madam Mayor, I don’t mean to sound rude but I need to to move along.”

I was too late.

“Did you really think you could get away from me that easily?” I heard her sneer at me from behind.

“I’m sorry who are you?” Questioned Regina.

“I’m an employee here, and this little girl although she doesn’t look it is a danger to society, who just happened to break out of her cell.”

“First of all I’m not little and second of all Regina you’ve got to believe me, she’s lying I don’t deserve to be here. Please help me.”

“I’m sorry Kaydance, I know how much you mean to Henry, but that’s exactly what someone who just escaped from their cell would say.I can’t have a convict hanging around with my son anyway. It’s alright though he’ll forget about you soon enough. In fact I’d be surprised if he hasn’t already.”

“Please no, I’m begging you.”

“Take her to her cell.”

That was yesterday. The day I found myself in a specially designed magic proof cell under the hospital. I place most don’t even know exists. I don’t know how long I’ll be here. It might be a week, a month, a year or the rest of my life. All I know is that time is frozen here and it’s going to be a very long eternity. If you are reading this, then there is still hope, even though mine is almost all gone, drained with my magic by the cell itself. I don’t know what will happen when I give up all hope together. Quite frankly I’m scared. I don’t know what I’ll do, what I’ll become. Please just do me one last favour. Tell Henry I love him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long waiting time, life has been a bit stressed, depressed, lemon zest and I didn’t really have much motivation to write. Anyway I hope you like the new chapter,  
Lux.


	26. Mirrors - Henry Mills

The woman lifted her illusion. She had dark, scraggly hair and a crazed look in her eyes. I would’ve most definitely recognised her, if only I knew her.

“Who are you? What are you doing imitating Kaydance? Is she alright?”

“The name’s Bellatrix and I’m doing good thanks for asking although I can’t say the same for her. She’s in my care. Every second she spends her powers are draining. But it’s not all bad, as her powers leave her, mine grow stronger. Soon I will be unstoppable.”

“No I can’t let you do this to her!”

She pulled out a compact mirror from inside her robe,”My, but I already have.”

I feared to look at the glass should it portray my suspicions but the temptation was too strong. I just had to see her again. The sight I saw made me wish I didn’t. Within the reflection of the mirror I witnessed Kaydance. Her skin had lost all colour. Pale. Sat in the corner of the room clutching her legs to her chest. Silent tears rolling down her cheeks. It was the worst I’d ever seen her. It was like her life force was being stripped from her. I shouted for her, screamed even, I just had to let her know I was there. Finally she turned her face, looking directly at where I was, although I wasn’t certain if she could see me. 

She crawled over. “Henry?” She croaked, her voice hoarse.

“Yes, Kay it’s me. I’m here.”

“Is it really you?”

“Yes it’s really me Kay.”

“But...but what about Bellatrix?”

“She’s here with me.”

“Henry get away from her right now she’s dangerous, don’t trust her.”

“Kay, can you tell me where you are, if I know where you are I’ll be able to find a way to get you out?”

“It’s hopeless Henry don’t even bother trying.”

“Kaydance what’s happened to you? The Kaydance I know would never give up.”

“Look your best chance is to get out of here without me. I’ll use the last of my powers to get you out of here get to the town line in exactly half an hour and I’ll open a portal and you can escape along with everyone else.”

“NO KAYDANCE I’M NOT GOING ANYWHERE WITHOUT YOU. PLEASE just tell me where you are.”

“I...I can’t. I can’t have you put yourself in harms way for me.”

“Yet you’re willing to do the same for everyone else?”

“Yeah.”

“Well it’s no different. Just tell me where you are.”

“I guess. I’m at-“ I never heard the end of that sentence as she doubled over in pain, holding her side and sobbing loudly from the pain. She pressed her hand to the glass at the same time the mirror shattered in my palm.

“Too bad she couldn’t tell you where she was.” I was too enwrapped in my conversation with Kaydance that I had forgotten Bellatrix’s presence.

I turned on her. “It was you. It was you. You were the one who brought that pain on her.”

“Well I couldn’t have her revealing her location now could I? Not until I’ve drained her of all her power at least.”

“You won’t win. You won’t ever succeed.”

“Funny, that’s exactly what she said now look at her now.”

“She has a name you know and it’s the most beautiful name ever.”

“Aww mr lover boy, will do anything to be united with his true love. Tell me, how do you think she’s react if she found out you’d been kissing other girls?”

My cheeks reddened, how would she react? Would she feel betrayed? Or would she just accept what had happened and that it was out of her control?

“I might as well tell you where she is, by the time you’ve reached her it will be too late anyway. You can’t save her. I’m fact you won’t even be able to reach her. She’s being stored in the clock tower but good luck getting to her, it’s guarded by an impenetrable amount of dark magic. You try and get to her you will die. In the off chance you do manage to break the magic you will only harm her. After all, I’m using her own magic, turning it against her. There’s no way you can bypass it.”

With those infamous last words she vanished into thin air, leaving me alone but at least now I knew exactly what I would have to do.

** _ A few minutes later - Kaydance’s POV _ **

Bellatrix returned to my cell, a wide grin on her face. 

“Just end it already, just strip me of my powers and end my suffering. I know that’s all you want.”

“Hush child, I have a surprise for you.”

She brought me to the mirror where I had witnessed Henry only moments ago. “Look child and tell me what you see.”

The mirror rippled and an image of Henry focused once more, this time with Leo, Nico and the others. “You can see them can’t you, they’re after you, little do they know they’re walking to their doom and there’s nothing you can do about it.” I began to cry, I would be responsible for the destruction of the only friends I ever had. “You know none of this would’ve been possible had you not wrote this letter.” She pulled out the letter I had wrote merely 48 hours before, God how much had changed since then. She placed her hand under my chin, lifting it and began to read. “I’m so sorry to have to do this to you Henry, let me tell you these past few years have been some of the best in my life, although it is unlikely I will remember them should my plan go correctly. If you are reading this then it is too late for me, for I will have already crossed the town line. It’s better this way, no prophecy will come true and you can break the curse without me. Love you, Kay. How touching but I think we’ve had enough torture for the day so I had better be off.”

“No you can’t just leave me like this. I need to know what happens to my friends. I NEED to know they’re alright.”

“I guess you’ll never know. You won’t even be able to use your powers to find out. You are hopeless.” Always one for dramatic exits, she left, leaving me screaming in the hopes that someone might hear my plea. Please don’t let them harm my friends, my family.


	27. Losing battle - Leo Valdez

If I knew that once me and Nico had left Kaydance with Henry she would’ve taken it as an opportunity to run away I would’ve never let her out of my sight. Henry arrived flustered and panting, explaining her current predicament. Who would’ve thought that so much would’ve changed in 48 hours? And now she of all people needed our help. I couldn’t believe it at first, she was the one who had her powers, from what I’d learnt about her she was unstoppable. How could she be gone? Although my mind was flooded with questions about her capture, which Henry could not answer, one surfaced more prominently than the rest; how could he not have noticed it wasn’t her? How could he not have sensed an imposter straight away? Why did it have to take that long, during which time Kaydance was being drained of her powers? How was he a real friend?

That wasn’t the biggest problem right now, I couldn’t dwell too much on it, Kaydance was being tortured as I sat here questioning her friendship choices. We had to act now. As quickly and frantically as possible I gathered everyone else. There was no question about it, we had to help her but how I didn’t know. Right now it seemed we would only be good in hand to hand combat, I’m not so sure about breaking dark magic without harming Kaydance and sneaking out hopefully undetected by forces much more powerful than us. Quite frankly in our current state I didn’t think we stood a chance. 

There was one positive though, we knew where she was. Now we just had the perilous task of breaking the magic surrounding her without hurting her or without getting killed. An easy task. We sprinted to the clock tower and found just as Bellatrix had told Henry, it was surrounded by a forcefield of dark magic and in the centre of it all encased in a sphere of the black magic was Kaydance. Her brunette hair and face having lost its lustre, her skin pale, her eyes having lost their spark. She looked like a ghost of her former self. It was undoubtedly the worst I’d ever seen her. Me, Henry and Nico all took a step forward, we knew her better after all than any of the others. As we edged slowly closer, a vision flickered into life. It was Kaydance, shrouded in a golden light. 

“Don’t come any closer.”

“What do you mean? Don’t you want us to help you?” Henry questioned.

“I do, I need your help. I need your help more than anything-“

“Then why are you refusing our help?” I cut in. Henry took a step closer.

“Because that’s not me, it’s a trap.”

“No it’s not, you looked exactly like this when I saw you in the mirror.” Remarked Henry.

“Please you have to believe me. Bellatrix wasn’t lying about how if you break the magic you cause pain to me, but not only that once you reach the illusion the dark magic will close in on you and you’ll be trapped where I was before.”

“How do we even know this is you? That you’re not the one leading us into a trap?”

“What? Please I’m begging you believe me please.”

The other Kaydance in the sphere of dark magic, who had remained unresponsive until now jerked into life. 

“No I’m the real Kaydance. Leo, Henry, Nico please save me. She’s an imposter sent by Bellatrix to stop you from saving me. Please.”

“Look I’ll prove it to you that it’s me,”the first Kaydance said,”Go on break the tendrils of magic, if it’s really me you’ll see that pain it causes me.”

“WHAT NO WE CAN’T CAUSE YOU PAIN.” Nico shouted.

“But if I’m just an illusion I won’t feel pain. It’s alright, I forgive you in advance.”

The three of us grouped together. 

“It’s our best and only choice,” said Henry, “As much as I don’t want to be the one to cause her pain we have to. I’m sure she can handle it, she’s strong like that.” We agreed in silent nods.

“So who’s gonna do it? Who’s gonna be the one to break the tendrils?” I feebly asked.

Henry unsheathed his grandfathers sword from the scabbard around his waist.

“I’ll do it.” He volunteered.

Nico put his hand gently on Henry’s sword hand, lowering the sword. 

“We’ll do it together.”

We all took ahold of the hilt with one hand. “One, two, three.”

We sliced through one of the tendrils and to our surprise found that both Kaydances writhed in pain.

“Can’t...you see...it’s really me?” The apparition said.

“No, we can’t, you’re both feeling pain. We can’t tell which one of you is the real one.”

“You got to believe me.” The apparition said, the desperation in her voice growing. “Do you really think Bellatrix would be so stupid as to make this easy for you by telling you where I was?” 

“She has a point.” I stated the obvious.

“How do you know she’s not trying to double cross you?” The other Kaydance counter argued.

I turned to the boys, “Asking her to use her powers is hopeless because either way one of them will be using them genuinely while the other will be using them because Bellatrix is in control of most of Kay’s powers. We need to think of another solution.”

“We spilt up.” Was Nico’s response.

“But one of them could be potentially dangerous-“

“It’s Kaydance she won’t harm us.” Henry’s faith in her was unbelievable.

“Maybe she won’t but you can’t speak for the fake!” I tried to knock some sense into him.

“Look I think Nico’s right, the best idea is to split up just us three, too many people and she will run again thinking she’s endangering too many lives. There’s still a high chance that she’s going to run on us now but we know her better than anyone else in the town so I’m hoping that that might just be enough.”

“Me and Leo will locate the apparition. Henry, you think you’ll be able to handle yourself here?”

“Guys, I’m using the last of my powers here. I really haven’t got much more time please hurry.”

Henry turned on the Kaydance shrouded in golden light. “I thought you said you were going to use the last of your powers to get us out of here?”

The Kaydance entrapped before us answered, “ And I thought you were going to gather everyone else so I could get you all out like I promised you that I would. I promised that half an hour ago, you should’ve been at the town line by now.”

This was new information to me but apparently not to Henry who turned to me and Nico and whispered under his breath “ She’s definitely the real Kaydance, I’ll leave you two to deal with the fake.”

Pleading evermore the now established to be fake Kaydance continued to beg for our help. “Look I’m in the mental asylum under the hospital. Free me and I can prove it to you that it’s really me. I can’t hold on much longer.” With that the illusion vanished as if it had never been there. 

“Henry I’ll shadow travel you to Kaydance, support her and get her ready and then I’ll return to get you both after me and Leo have finished with the fake. Sound good?”

“Sounds good.” We echoed.

A minute later we found ourselves in the asylum, stood just outside of the door which held the imitation of Kaydance. A mediocre imitation at that, it looked nothing like her. In fact it looked almost as if it was dead. Had we really come all this way just for a dead body? A fake at that?

“Is it dead?” I asked Nico.

“Almost, give it a few more seconds and it will be.”

I scooped the limp body up in my arms almost but not quite dropping it. Silent tears started rolling down my face and I did nothing to stop them.

“What’s the matter?” Asked Nico.

“We were wrong. This is Kaydance. This is what they’ve done to her.”

“But.. but how can you be sure?”

A racketing sob released. “The first day I met her, I held her like this.”

“That proves nothing.”

“It’s her. I’m sure of it. We need to get her out of here now or else we’ll lose her forever.”

“She can’t die remember, she’s too powerful.”

“She’s been stripped of her powers, reduced to a shadow of her former self, she’s not powerful to face death, not this time.”

“But- if she’s here, who did we leave Henry with?”

“Oh my Gods we left him with the illusion. Nico you go save Henry I’ll take Kay to the hospital upstairs, see if we can get her seen to and hopefully recovering. Go... go.”

* * *

** Henry’s POV **

As soon as Nico had shadow travelled me to Kaydance I knew at once that I’d made the right decision. She hugged me immediately upon my arrival.

“Oh thank God you’re here I was starting to think that you’d fallen for that fake. I’m glad you knew it was me.”

“I missed you so much.” I told her, holding her close. I didn’t notice the presence of another behind me until she spoke up.

“How nice to see you again Henry.”

I whipped around,”Bellatrix.” I pushed Kay behind me, I would not let her be harmed in her weakened state.

“Aww protecting your little Kaydance now are we. It won’t do you any good.”

Kay pushed her way forward, “ I won’t let you bully us Bellatrix. You have no control over us.”

“Sectumsempra.”

She crumpled to the floor clutching her chest where a giant gash now lay, millions of other gashes just as deep appearing on her body. I clutched her body as she bled out, screaming for the slightest bit of help.

“My my Henry it appears you fell in love with an illusion, you fell right into my trap.” She flicked her wrist and the vision vanished and so with it did she, but the blood, the blood remained.

Nico arrived a split second too late. “Henry..” he panted “She’s still alive but only just.”


	28. Lost and Found - Nico Di Angelo

“Henry, did you not hear me? Kaydance is alive.” I repeated myself once more for him, having not moved from where he stood. His clothes were stained with blood, as were his hands crimson. I hadn’t taken much notice of the the blood at first, the adrenaline coursing through my veins, my mission was to bring Henry to the hospital, I wasn’t really focusing on much else. But I was now. I approached hesitantly, he could’ve just murdered someone I don’t know. “Henry...whose blood is that?”

“She can’t be alive,” he said, barely louder than a whisper. “She can’t be alive.”

“Yes Henry she is, she is alive.” He turned to face me, his brown eyes locking on my face. 

“She...she can’t be.”He paused. ” Because this is her blood.”

“Henry, listen to me. Me and Leo saved her from the asylum underneath the hospital. She’s safe now but she’s struggling, she needs you.”

“I’m responsible for her death. I should’ve protected her from Bellatrix. She’s dead because of me.” His body started shaking, this definitely wasn’t going to be as easy as I thought. Then again I hadn’t counted that Bellatrix was going to traumatise him while we were gone.

“Henry, I don’t know what you saw, but it wasn’t real. Kaydance, the real Kaydance is with Leo right now. I can assure you that she’s safe and that she’s healthy. Come see for yourself.”

“Bellatrix, she murdered her, in cold blood. I’m gonna kill her, avenge Kay, yes.”

“No Henry. No. Bellatrix didn’t murder anyone and you don’t have to avenge Kay because she’s still alive. Just come with me please.”

“If Bellatrix didn’t kill Kay. If that was really an illusion then explain the blood.”

“I- I can’t. I don’t have an explanation for it.”

“Exactly that because she was the real Kaydance, now if you’ll excuse me I’ve going to get my revenge.” He turned his back on me.

“Is that what Kaydance would’ve wanted? Vengeance?”

“What?”

“I said is that what she would’ve wanted?”

“It doesn’t matter what she would’ve wanted she’s dead!”

“No she isn’t and I think deep down you know it’s true. You know she’s alive but you don’t want to believe it. Why?”

“I.. I’m scared. I don’t want to lose her again and I’m sick that she keeps putting herself in danger for the rest of us. I’ve just watched her die before me and...and I don’t think I could handle watching that again, not when I know that this time it would be for real.”

“Hey, look, I promise you I won’t let her die. Now come on, let’s get you two reunited.”

Gently I took his hand in mine and shadow traveled us to the hospital.

“Leo!” Henry exclaimed as we appeared in the ward. He was sat next to her as she lay unconscious on the bed, holding her hand, a grim expression on his face.

“It’s not looking good guys.”

“What to you mean?” I queried.

“Bellatrix has done more damage than we could have possibly anticipated. She still hasn’t woken up. The doctors said she should’ve woken up by now.”

Her brunette hair was splayed across the pillow and she lay stiff and rigid, her breathing shallow. I glanced over to the heart monitor to which she was hooked up to, each beat was getting smaller and smaller.

“Guys, are you seeing this?” I asked them.

“The heart monitor?” Asked Leo to which I nodded. “She’s been like this for the past hour, watch. It’ll dip and get smaller and smaller but then suddenly it’ll just adjust to a regular heartbeat.”

“Even so, she should’ve woken up by now.” I could tell Henry’s worry was rising.

“Leo I’m not so sure you’re right there.”

“Why’s that.”

“Because-“ I was cut off by the sirens from the heart monitor and the arrival of a flurry of doctors and nurses. “She’s flatlining.”

Before I could comprehend the situation I found myself pinned to the wall by Henry.

“You told me she was healthy. You promised me that you wouldn’t take her die and here she is, dying and you’re not doing anything about it.” He was flung roughly backwards by Leo.

“Remember last time we were in this position Henry? Kay saved us. Is this really what you think she would’ve wanted? There’s still hope for her yet, they haven’t pronounced her dead yet.”

As luck would have it, Dr Whale turned around at that moment. “I’m sorry, we did all we could, but she’s gone.”

“YOU.” Henry rounded on me, Leo standing in between us. 

“No Henry. Now’s not the time.”

Solemnly we walked back over to the bed where she lay.

“I’m sorry.” I whispered “I’m sorry we didn’t believe you, that we didn’t get to you in time. Maybe, maybe if we had things might have been different. You might still be here with us. I don’t know what we’re going to do now that you’re gone but one think is for certain we will continue your legacy. We will break this curse.”

“Kaydance from the moment I met you I knew you had a good heart. You hardly knew me let alone if you could trust me in a world that has seemed so against you and yet you were willing to go out of your way to help me anyway. For that and for your friendship I am eternally grateful. What an honour and a pleasure it was to be your friend and to fight alongside you.” Leo said his goodbyes too and somehow the situation seemed more real. 

Henry was next, he knelt beside her, holding her hand, his face next to hers. “Kay, when you showed up at the town line all those years ago I knew instantly that you were different. Since then our friendship has grown and as have my feelings for you. I love you Kay you were my best friend and I’d hoped that one day you might be so much more.” A tear fell from his face onto hers. A small blip on the heart monitor. No I must’ve been mistaken it couldn’t possibly have been. Henry continued talking,” You were the best thing about me. You saw only the best in everyone, even when there wasn’t much to see. You thought that I was a hero when in fact the real hero here was you. You believed you wouldn’t make a difference, that you wouldn’t save the world, but I think your kindness already has. I mean-“ he wiped another tear from his cheek turning around to look at us. “You sure did bring a remarkable group of people together. None of this would’ve happened without you and for that I can only say thank you.”

I swear this time I definitely saw the heart monitor blip. A heartbeat. She had a heartbeat. She might not be beyond salvation as of yet.

“Henry keep talking.”

“Why?”

“Look.” Sure enough the machine read another heartbeat. “Keep talking, you’re helping.”

“Ok ok. Kay if you can hear me please I’m begging you please don’t go, keep fighting for me like the fighter you’ve always been. Please because quite frankly I don’t know how I’m going to survive without you in my life.”

Her heartbeat was becoming more frequent, averaging closer to a healthy persons. 

“Leo go get Dr Whale. Henry keep talking. I have someone I desperately need to see.”

* * *

**Henry’s PoV **

Leo returned half a minute later with Whale. He was astonished to say the least.

“It’s a miracle.” He said. Maybe today wasn’t shaping out to be too bad after all.

“I’ll just monitor her vitals.” He informed us.

He checked her over before turning to us to grace us with her predicament. “She’s healthy, her vitals are good.” Both me and Leo started to celebrate, yeah we could get through this, everything would be alright. “But.” Oh god there was always a but. “She’s currently comatose and as of yet, we’re not sure how long for.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy new year!


	29. Mistakes, regrets and warfare - Harry Potter

I walked into Granny’s as per usual to meet Ron and Hermione, sitting down at our usual booth at the front of the diner. Almost instantly Granny brought over my usual, a white coffee and bagel.

“Hey, have you heard from Henry recently? I feel like he’s been distant recently.” I asked.

“No I haven’t heard from him since Wednesday.” Ron replied while Hermione visibly gulped next to him.

“What’s up Hermione? Spill.” I told her.

“Well...”

“Hermione you can trust us with anything remember.” Ron reminded her.

“I may have kissed Henry on Wednesday and think that’s why he’s being weird.” She blurted out.

“Woah that was definitely not what I was expecting.” Ron said.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” I asked.

“I didn’t think it was relevant.”

“Of course it’s relevant. Have you talked to him since?”

“Also when did this kiss take place and what was it like I want to know everything.” Ron piped up.

“Well... here goes nothing. It was Wednesday and I was here at Granny’s when he came in. He was getting food for him and Kay and I offered to walk back home with him. We got to his house and he said he needed to go but I held him back saying there was something I needed to tell him and I kissed him. He didn’t pull away or anything in fact he kissed me back then he ran off to care for Kaydance. I haven’t spoken to him since not for a lack of trying, I’ve tried calling him, I’ve asked his Mum’s and they’ve said he’s always been out with friends and I’ve only seen him from a distance surrounded by who I presume to be his friends although I haven’t seen a Kay and I’m starting to think she’s not real, maybe just an excuse so he wouldn’t have to hang out with us.” At this point tears had started to roll silently down her cheeks. 

“Hey, hey I’m sorry he’s a douche for making you feel this way.”

“You must really care for him huh?” Asked Ron.

She sniffled,“Yeah I guess.”

“How about we go find him now and we can put everything right? Would that make you feel better?”

She nodded.

“Let’s go then. Do you have any idea of where he’ll be?”

She shook her head

“Well we better be off then.” Said Ron.

We all grabbed our stuff, about to leave just as Sheriff Swan walked into the diner.

I turned to Ron and Hermione “Hold on a minute we might just have a way to find him.” I walked over,“ Sheriff.”

She turned,” Harry, just call me Emma. Did you want anything?”

“Yeah, actually, I was wanting to know if you knew where Henry was?”

“Oh yeah, he text about an hour ago saying he was at the hospital.”

“Thank you, did he say why?”

“Said he was volunteering helping out or something. Anyway if you’ll excuse me I better get back to work.”

“Thanks a lot for everything.” I walked back to the others. “We’re off to the hospital.”

About ten minutes later we were at the hospital reception.

“Hi, is Henry Mills here?”

“Yes he’s visiting down the hall and to the right on the emergency unit.”

“Thanks a lot.”

We walked down the hall in silence before hesitating towards the door.

“Are you sure you want to do this Hermione?”

“Yeah I’m certain. I don’t want to lose him.”

“Okay then.” I opened the door to my bewilderment and that of everyone else.

“Harry, Ron, Hermione what are you doing here?” 

“We’re here to see you of course Henry you’ve been distant for the last couple of days and we were worried we thought we’d done something wrong.” Hermione stepped up to Henry. “You’ve been avoiding me ever since we kissed.”

“Not intentionally it’s just everything happened at once and now I’m here with my best friend here in a coma.”

“You mean?” She questioned.

“It’s not how I was wanting you to meet her but yes this is Kaydance.”

I almost didn’t recognise her. She was the girl from a couple of weeks ago, I never did know her name although she appeared certain to know me. It was odd to see her this way, it didn’t feel right. She seemed to have such a big personality just from our first encounter, she was very upfront it seemed unnatural to see her so quiet and fragile. I was taken aback by it.

  
“How did this happen?” Ron interjected.

“It’s a long story and you wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“So it hasn’t got anything to do with our kiss?” 

“No but Hermione that kiss was a mistake. I’m telling you now because I don’t want to lead you on. I’m in love with someone else.”

“Who?” She asked getting defensive.

“Well... Kaydance.”

“You mean the girl lying here in a coma. You prefer her of all people to me. What’s so special about her, what’s she got that I haven’t? Why am I not good enough for you?”

“Please Hermione I cant deal with this right now. I’m here to support Kaydance and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

As if on queue she bolted upright, breathing heavily. “Henry.” She panted “Bellatrix has activated my powers.”

Not even a few seconds later a small pale boy with black hair dressed in black bolted through the door.

“Bellatrix and Piper have teamed up. Piper’s using her charmspeak to control Percy and the others and Bellatrix is rerouting Kaydance’s powers to them all. They’re preparing for war.”


	30. Powerless - Henry Mills

Well this day was not going well to say the least. I now found myself in a complex situation with Harry, Ron and Hermione, I couldn’t say too much around them, they were still victims of the curse, although I do think Nico might have blown that for us. To make matters worse Hermione was pissed at Kaydance, thinking she took me away from her. Not to mention Kaydance was in no shape to hold off an army of our closest friends or any army for that matter, hell if I had it my way she wouldn’t be leaving this hospital room, not for another couple of days at least. How the hell were me and Nico going to singlehandedly hold off an army of demigods with fully restored powers, who had managed themselves to take down titans? While I was locked in my thoughts, hoping to formulate a plan a heated argument had started between Kay and Hermione.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Kay asked.

“Like what?” Asked a scowling Hermione 

“Like you have something against me, I’ve never met you before, I’ve hardly heard of you. Why are you looking at me with hatred in your eyes?”

“Never heard of me huh. Well I’ll clarify things for you I’m the girl who kissed Henry. I’m the one who Henry wants. Not you.”

“So that’s why you hate me. I’m competition for you. Well let me tell you this, if you’re really the one who Henry wants, why haven’t i heard of you? Quite frankly I don’t believe any of that crap.”

“Girls stop.” I interjected. This is the worst thing that could be happening right now. “Hermione I’ve told you, you’re not the girl I want but Kaydance I can’t keep from you that we did kiss, I was gonna tell you but I didn’t really have a chance until now. Can you forgive me?”

“Look Henry I have bigger problems to focus on right now.” She swung her legs around from the hospital bed getting ready to stand.

“Do you want some help?” I offered.

“I’m good. I think you’ve done enough.” She slowly slid herself into standing position, pushing off from the bed. And gracefully crumpling to the ground.

“Well done.” Nico said stood over her extending his hand. She took it, pulling herself upwards to her her feet, leaning on him for support, her body shaking from the effort of carrying her weight.

“Look I’ve got to go out there and fight. It’s me that Bellatrix wants. She wants me to join her, if it means saving our friends then I will. But I’m not going down without a fight.”

“You’re in no position to fight. You can barely walk. You’re not going anywhere.” I informed her.

“Who are you to tell me what I can and can’t do Henry? You have no control over me. I’m going to go out there and fight.”

“You haven’t even got your powers anymore.” I reminded her. “You’re completely defenceless.”

“No I might not have my powers but I have a way to get them back.”

“I’m not going to let you go out there and put your life on the line.”

“Well it’s our only chance and right now it’s not like there’s any way you can stop me.”

“Guys...” Nico said.

“What is it Nico?” I asked.

He nodded towards Harry and them. We’d completely forgotten they were there and they’d heard everything. Funny enough Kaydance didn’t seem fazed,“Actually there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you two if you three don’t mind giving us a bit of privacy.” They nodded and silently left the room.

“Guys, when I was with Bellatrix she told me something. Harry and them have powers too only they require their wands, which must be around here somewhere. I have a feeling Bellatrix enacted the curse so that they’d forget who they were and all about the magic they possessed. I don’t have much magic left if anything but it might just be enough to jumpstart some of their memories.”

“Should you not save the last of your magic and strength to fight Bellatrix?” I asked.

“Well I told you I had a plan to get my powers back and that’s exactly what I intend to do.”

“How exactly do you plan on doing that?”

“Sacrificing myself of course.”


	31. Truths - Kaydance

The look on Henry’s face was priceless, a picture of shock with an added dash of confusion.

“Look I’ve got a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it in. So I’m sorry if I sound rude or anything but I really do need to get going if we have any chance of stopping Bellatrix and Piper.”

“If you think that I am going to let you go out there and sacrifice yourself I’d say you’ve gone completely insane.” Said Henry.

“Insane people don't know they're insane. I know I'm insane, therefore I'm not insane. Isn't that insane?” I responded, paraphrasing my favourite movie series Pirates of the Caribbean. 

“Now is not the time Kay.” Henry replied, annoyed whereas Nico was holding back fits of laughter.

“She has got a point.” He pointed out to Henry.

“I don’t care I’m not letting her put her life on the line. There must be another way.”

“Look Henry there is no other way unless you plan on getting Bellatrix to willingly give up my powers which is highly unlikely and near impossible. Without my powers I’m useless. I  need to get them back.”

“You are not useless, with or without your powers. Your powers do not define you. They are not who you are. If you could see yourself through my eyes you’d see that you’re perfect with or without your powers.”

“I... thanks I guess. But look I need to get to work. Can you do me a favour Henry and see if you can locate Harry, Ron and Hermione’s wands. I have a feeling they’ll be at Gold’s. I’ll stay here with them and try to regain their memories. Nico can you monitor the army, see how far away they are, tell me who’s the biggest danger, make sure I don’t exert myself too much when helping Harry will you?”

“Yeah.” They both chimed.

“Right, I’m gonna bring the others in now. Let’s do this.”

I left the room, now having regained strength and use of my legs and beckoned Harry and the others to join me, while Henry slipped out to Gold’s and Nico merged with the shadows.

“Look, what I’m going to do is gonna be pretty weird at first but once it’s finished, everything will make sense.”

They all looked at me questionably but didn’t object. “Right what I need is for us all to hold hands, like I said I know it sounds weird but please just trust me. I know need you all to close your eyes.”

“I’m sorry but what’s that got to do with anything?” Asked Ron.

“Please just do it, it’ll make sense in a couple of minutes.”

“Alright.”

I closed my eyes, focusing, channelling the last of my energy, hoping against hope that it would be enough. There was no guarantee it was going to work especially in my weakened state, let alone in my healthy one, I mean I’d never done anything like it before. Please just be enough.

After a couple of minutes I opened my eyes to a bewilderment of faces. I turned to Harry who was holding my left hand. 

“Harry?” I asked.

“Kaydance, is that really you?”

“Yes it’s really me. Do you remember?”

“I remember everything and now you’re here I’m never going to let you go.” He wrapped me in his arms and I dropped Ron’s hand in my right.

“Do you have any idea how long I’ve spent looking for you?”

“I know I’m sorry.” Tears rolled down my face at the reunion.

“I’m just glad we can be a family again.”

“Me too.”

“Kaydance the army is advancing you’ve got about five minutes to prepare for war.” Nico returned and me and Harry broke apart.

“Am I interrupting something?”

“No Nico it’s fine. Now tell me who is it have to focus on? Who would you say is the most powerful?”

“Percy of course he’s got the most experience in using his powers, he’s powerful, can create a tsunami easily. Cut him off from any water supply and you should be alright although that is easier said then done. Leo’s main weapon is his fire, he can create fire bolts in his hands which he can then throw at you so watch out for them. Jason can control lighting so make sure you aren’t hit, he also possesses the power of flight so he will be harder to overcome. Ultimately I think if you stop Piper then she will lose control over the others.”

“Great, that seems easy enough,apart from the whole take down all my friends without hurting them or myself and managing to retrieve my powers at the same time. Sounds like a piece of cake.”

“Kay what are you planning?” Harry asked with concern in his voice. I turned to face him, taking ahold of his hand.

“You know when I ran away all those years ago, that was because I started to experience magic and I was scared. I didn’t want to harm you and I knew the Dursley’s would only view me as a freak, so I ran. But before I left I made sure to place a protection charm over your heart hoping to prevent anything like this happening not that it worked. And when this curse struck I was the only one to retain my magic but now it’s been stripped from me by Bellatrix who is using it for her own gain. It’s too powerful in the wrong hands, she won’t be able to successfully control or contain it in her. I need to stop this before it’s too late.”

“Kay I’ve got the the wands.” Henry’s voice could be heard saying.

He jogged into the room out of breath

“Here they are?” He said holding them out before me.

“What price did you have to pay?”

“Never mind that right now. Our main problem is the battle ahead of us.”

“I’m not gonna let you go straight into battle Kay.” Harry piped up.

“I’ve got to for the sake of everyone else here.”

He picked up his wand from Henry’s hand.

“At least not alone. I can’t have my sister die on me not today, not any day.”


	32. Eternal slumber - Percy Jackson

Leo, Nico and Henry were left to care for Kay, it made sense since they were the closest to her. We on the other hand were left to entertain ourselves. We stayed at Kay’s apartment still and were busy discussing our plans for action. My eyes wandered to the scarlet feature wall where there hung a large photo of her and Henry laughing together. It didn’t feel right without her here. Suddenly there was a knock at the door, we opened it to find Leo to our surprise. 

“Leo I thought you were meant to be with Kay?” I queried.

“I came to tell you about how she’s doing.”

“Is she doing alright?” Annabeth asked eagerly.

“Well... she’s alive which is a start.”

“There’s a but.” Frank stated

“There’s six butts in this room.”

We all groaned.

“Get on with it Leo.” Jason told him.

“But she’s comatose and has been stripped of her powers.”

“So in essence should Bellatrix decide to attack we are pretty much helpless unless we can somehow get close enough for hand to hand combat which I highly doubt.” Said Annabeth.

“I know it doesn’t look promising but I can assure you that everything will work out.”

Just then there was a knocking at the door.

“I’ll get it.” I said, jogging over to the door. I opened it to my surprise to find Piper? I hadn’t seen her since the incident, not for a lack of trying, we’d been searching for her all over town and yet here she was.

She stood there awkwardly, wringing her hands and I couldn’t help but pull her into a hug. 

“Percy I’ve got something I need to tell you it’s important. Bellatrix is after me and I need your help, can you help me?”

“Sure, no problem. What does she want you for?”

“Well she’s drained Kaydance now so now she wants me, she wants to strip me of my powers, she wants to be the most powerful person alive.”

“You better come inside.”

“Thank you.” She followed timidly behind me.

“Who was that?” Hazel asked.

Before I had a moment to reply Piper strutted into the centre of the room.

“Listen up everyone you’re all gonna do exactly as I say.” As the words left her mouth I felt a wash of magic come over me and I understood immediately, charmspeak. I tried to resist but I was a prisoner to my own mind, made to obey her every command and I knew the others would be feeling the same.

“Oh, Percy always the fighter. Well now you’re gonna be fighting for me. All of you follow me I’m gonna get you your powers back.”

My legs moved of their own accord and we all followed after her, following until we reached the library? She lead us inside and to a lift, it was old, ornately crafted, big enough to fit all of us and had some sort of runes around the outside.

“Get in.” She ordered and we obeyed. When the doors opened again we were in a mine I think. I didn’t even know Storybrooke had one of those, although I hadn’t been here very long. Waiting for us was Bellatrix.

“Good job Piper.” She congratulated. “Now I just divert a small amount of Kay’s magic to the six of them so they should regain their own magic. Sorry, five of them, I forget that there’s nothing special about Annabeth here, she’s hardly a demigod, more mortal above all else.” She said advancing on her before halting, “isn’t that right?”

I wished more than anything to have fought her there and then. How dare she say such things about Annabeth! But I remained stuck in place, held by Piper’s charmspeak.

Piper turned to face me,” Percy if you continue to try and resist Bellatrix here will not hesitate to kill Annabeth. So I’d suggest you stop while you still can because guess what you have no Kaydance now to save you. In fact that’s where we’re going right now. To destroy her once and for all.”

“My sources tell me that she’s just awoken from being in a coma at the hospital. She’ll be weakened and without her powers, well, powerless. Now is the time to strike and defeat her at last, then nothing will stand in the way between us ruling Storybrooke for the rest of time.”

“But we can’t kill her,” Piper reminded,”or else the curse will be broken.”

“That’s no matter, I’ve got a solution for that. Now let’s defeat this threat once and for all.”

We marched through the streets of Storybrooke and were advancing on the hospital only to find ourselves greeted by Kaydance. 

“Looking for me?” She asked.

“Fighting stances.” Piper ordered.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” I was surprised by her sheer bravery armed with no weapons or magic yet still standing up to the most powerful people around right now,” My powers were unstable enough inside of me, triggered by my own emotions. Even so I knew how to control them and you quite frankly do not. You’re putting the whole town in danger right now. If you use my powers there won’t be a town left for you to rule.” She said stalking around Bellatrix and Piper like a predator having caught their prey.

“I demand you teach her how to use them.” Piper said.

“Really? Charmspeak Piper, did you really think that would work on me?”

“Wh..what?” She stammered, stunned. Nobody I knew of had resisted her charmspeak before, that was without having blocked their ears.

“Give me my powers back.” She growled.

Suddenly I felt an urge to fight, to leap into battle and cut down Kaydance. Subconsciously, I summoned Riptide, water swirling around me and I leapt head first into battle.

“Harry, now.” She shouted and then somehow there was a protection charm around her. Not as strong as her own but strong enough to keep me out. I was relieved, I didn’t really want to hurt her and I was glad she’d anticipated Piper’s move. I don’t think I could live with myself if I was responsible for the death of one of my friends.

“Piper, Bellatrix this is my brother Harry.” A scrawly boy with jet black hair emerged from the shadows.” You can try and harm him but I placed a protection charm around his heart before I left which still stands. Check and mate.”

“Well well well, I guess you leave us no choice but to have your friends her under Piper’s control to kill one another.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Yes we would.”

“How could you?!”

“But you can stop it Kaydance.” She conjured up a spinning wheel,” all you have to do is prick your finger and you have my word that they will all be left safe and sound.”

“There’s got to be another way.” Harry shouted from behind her. He grabbed her wrist,”don’t you dare, don’t you dare do this to me.”

“It’s my only choice, trust me I don’t want it to end like this.” She wrenched her wrist from his grip. “I’m so sorry. I should have prepared for this. It’s my fault I hadn’t preempted that this was gonna happen.”

“What am I gonna tell Henry?”

“The truth.”

“I’m sorry I can’t let you do this. Immobulous.” She remained frozen in place.

“Harry, let me go. It’s for the greater good.”

“What’s for the greater good is that you remain alive.”

“No Harry, I’m not the most important person here. I never was so don’t you dare treat me like that. There are more lives at stake than those of just my own. Anyway I won’t truly be gone, just sleeping, don’t worry about me.”

He visibly faltered and it was enough for her to break free of his spell.

“I’m sorry.” She whispered before pricking her finger and slumping to the ground.


	33. Won’t be expecting us coming - Harry Potter

Before my brain even registered properly what was going on I found myself running to get to Kay. I reached her only for her body to fade in my hands. 

I whirled around to face Bellatrix. “What have you done to her?!”

“Did you not  think  that I would find and destroy your sister as easily as we did your mother and father?That I would not torture her for the torment you have caused us? Her presence was not unknown to us, not by a long shot. We have spies in Hogwarts who have overheard your plans to one day find the sister who left you and we knew that your love for her would be your downfall. It. Was. Only. A. Matter. Of. Time.” She said stressing each syllable.

“I  said what have you done to her?”

“She’s safe, for now at least. In a place heavily guarded by dark magic lest you or one of your friends should try and break the curse. Breaking the enchantments will result in another dosage of the sleeping curse, making her even harder to reach and even harder to wake, so if I were you I’d just give up now.”

“Never.”

“Suit yourself, I guess you’ll never see your precious sister again.”

“That’s where you’re wrong.” I heard Hermione’s voice reply.

“Yeah, Harry’s got backup.” Ron chimed in.

“Imperio.” They both yelled at the same time, one at Piper and the other at Bellatrix and momentarily I had a thought that maybe just maybe this might work out. Of course I should’ve known by now not to get my hopes up, especially when my sister imbued with hope had been vanquished.

The curses bounded harmlessly off of an invisible protection charm, striking both Ron and Hermione in the chest instead, their eyes glazing over.

“You forget that we still have your sister’s magic. It would’ve helped her survive if she did have it. I must say it is pretty strong.”

“Why are you doing this to her?”

“Well just look at the chaos it causes, you take out the leader and you take out the whole pack. Originally it was only to gain more power for ourselves and to hurt you but I rather do far prefer this outcome.”

I observed the chaos around me, Percy, Leo and the rest of the group remained motionless, their body’s twisted in battle stances, hands clutching at weapons or elements, their eyes pleading. Ron and Hermione stood like zombies next to me, tense. Although their eyes are glazed I can tell they are trying to fight off the curse, so far unsuccessfully. 

“You promised her you’d let them go in return for her sacrifice. She gave herself up and now it’s time that you kept to your side of the bargain.”

Bellatrix waved her hand, her and Piper retreating, disappearing. Everything was seemingly restored, apart from one thing, Kaydance.

Henry jogged over red faced and breathless, Kay had planned out a series of unfortunate events to keep him busy while her plan was in action. She knew he wouldn’t like it or let her get away with it or if he did she couldn’t bring herself to put him at risk at least not when she didn’t have magic to protect him with and therefore couldn’t guarantee his safety. I couldn’t bare to watch his gaze flicker over everyone searching for her amongst the small crowd of us, so like a coward I looked away. Finally he the realisation dawned on him.

“Harry, where is she?”

“Umm we had some slight complications by which i mean major complications.”

“What happened? You were supposed to protect her.”

“Bellatrix and Piper turned the tables on us, said if they couldn’t harm us then they’d get Percy and them to kill each other, which was risk that Kay wasn’t willing to take.”

“What did she do this time?”

“She erm....sacrificed herself under the sleeping curse in order to save everyone.” I blurted.

“Is that all?” He asked his mood perking, “where’s her body, this can be easily resolved?”

“About that... Bellatrix and Piper kinda have it, I wasn’t able to save her in time. They say that they’ve placed dark enchantments around her and that breaking them will administer a further dosage of the curse, making her even harder to reach.”

“That may be even more of a problem.”

“But, what they weren’t counting on,” interjected Leo,” is that Kaydance would be more powerful than they’d anticipated.” He said, creating a ball of fire in his hand. “They sure as hell won’t be expecting us coming.”


	34. Survival - Kaydance Potter

If I’m honest I was not expecting some part of me to be conscious. I thought oh yeah it’ll be fine it’ll just be like going to sleep and then waking up when the sleeping curse is broken. But no of course some part of my mind had to be awake to be a prisoner. I walked down a dark hallway, lit by torches fastened onto the wall. At the end of which was a set of mirrors arranged in a semicircle, I walked forward watching my reflection do the same. Only it wasn’t my reflection, the look in its eyes was malicious and it’s mouth was quirked up in a smile as if challenging me. I backed away and in doing so noticed the floor was cracked as if someone had broken through it and it had been hastily repaired. Well here goes nothing. I grabbed one of the torches off of the wall extinguishing it’s blaze before hammering it into the ground until it finally gave way and I found myself falling.

_ ** Henry’s PoV  ** _

I should’ve been there for her instead off falling into her trap, of course Regina would not just come and decide she wanted to talk to me about my friendship choices out of nowhere. Unbeknownst to Piper and Bellatrix though, we had the advantage in more ways than one. First of all Nico, Leo and co all still had their powers and as for the second I couldn’t believe I was gonna do it but I was gonna send myself back into the realm of the sleeping curse. Now all we needed was sleeping powder of some sort although lucky for us I knew exactly where to get some. I lead the way to my mother’s vault I remembered seeing the powder in here somewhere. Although somewhat sceptical at first the group followed me in and we began searching for the powder, I hoped against hope that this would work. Harry on the other hand had decided to with the help of Ron and Hermione try and find where they could’ve been keeping Kaydance hostage. Can you say hostage if she’s unconscious and went with them willingly? Never mind, I have bigger things to sort out right now.

“Hey guys I think I’ve found it.” Nico called out with triumph in his voice.

He passed me a small vial with a red powder and I knew instantly that it was the one. 

“Let’s get this started then.”

Moments later I found myself recognisably in the room of fire, twirling in every direction, hurricanes of pure flame emerging. Persisting, I pushed my way through it, shouting for Kaydance, hoping against hope she’d managed to find her way here just as my grandparents had done all those years ago. I was on the verge of giving up when I heard her call back.

“Henry, is that you?”

“Yes it’s me I’m here.”

“But how?”

“Look can we discuss it later please, I don’t know how much time I have.”

“She spun around a little,” well I have all the time in the world.” 

“Adrenaline kicking in?”

“Oh yeah for sure, which is weird considering my actual body is like unconscious so I don’t exactly know how that works but still. But I mean if we went around looking for answers to everything then we’d never get anywhere in life like I can either question the fact that I have, sorry had, magic or I can just accept it without any need for a plausible explanation as to how it happened.”

“Speaking of which I had a similar situation earlier. Are you a hostage since you came willingly but now they’re holding you begrudgingly against your will?”

“Tough question, at least you leave me something to think about once you’ve left.”

“Right, back to why I came. Do you have any idea where they might be holding you?”

“I think there’s one of a few places. My guess is either the clock tower, the mines or possibly the woods since I know that’s where they’ve been camping out when they haven’t been making our lives a misery. I believe they’ll have planted an illusion in the asylum to try and trap you in there but - aah bastard.” She lifted her hand to find the finger she pricked bleeding once more. She looked at me with confusion in her eyes,”Henry I- I feel drowsy.” 

I tried to support her but she fell through me to the floor and that’s how I knew my time was almost up. The roaring of the flames increased, with it increasing the distance between us. The last thing I saw was her eyes fluttering shut and her body flickering.

I woke up and was instantly on my feet,” somethings up.”

“Woah Henry slow down there.” Said Leo.

Mere moments later Harry burst through the door, “we found her, I’m pretty sure we accidentally administered the second dosage of the curse but we found her and all dark enchantments are down now.”


	35. Resolution - Henry Mills

For fucks sakejust when I thought, how could this day have gotten any worse it still manages to prove me wrong. Now what was I supposed to do? Kaydance was still without her powers and had been administered a second, possibly lethal dosage of the curse I don’t know! And now I was left to lead everyone and take charge like she did. She always made it seem so easy, the boundaries between light and dark, right and wrong all so distinct for her. Problem solving always cane so easily to her, as did strategy, she always knew how to be a leader but back down to be a part of a team. She was always great at being a part of something much larger than herself. Me? Not so much. Well at least not to this scale or stakes. I mean I know all of Storybrooke was dependant on me convincing Emma and breaking the black fairy’s curse but this seems more personal. My best friend’s life hangs in the balance between life and death and I’m the only one who can help. Lots of responsibility much?

Well on the bright side at least we knew where she was being held, the mines. Now all we had to do was find a way to drag her lifeless body out of there without being noticed, no big deal. Although it would be significantly more of a big deal if Harry and Leo and Co didn’t have their powers. On the bright side at least we had some form of defence should we need it.

Harry had informed us that other then webs of dark magic zigzagging across the entrance, their threads tantalising yet dangerous, she was in fact left alone. Suspicious. But now we had time to act. By breaking one thread upon finding it Harry said all others had been deactivated, instead dissolving into the air as if they were never there. At least no further dosage would be being given, but now it seemed that it would take a lot more than just true loves kiss to break. 

We left Percy, Annabeth and Jason as lookouts by the entrance, Frank scouting the town in animal form for any sign of Piper or Bellatrix in advance. We  had  to be prepared. I wasn’t gonna lose her again. We sent Hazel, Harry and Nico to retrieve her body, Nico and Hazel being able to shadow travel everyone out and Harry for added defence plus cloaking. Instead me, Leo, Ron and Hermione acting as a diversion, making Bellatrix and Piper think we hadn’t found her, that we were in fact still searching to no avail. In all fairness it was a gloriously thought out plan, compliments of Annabeth. 

So here we were wandering, heading to the toll bridge in ‘search’ of Kaydance. The anticipation was killing me that I didn’t know how successful the mission was although I did know how much was riding on me and this distraction. Trudging, solemnly through the woods we walked in silence, the whole forest humming with a vibrant life around us.

Hermione spoke up,” Hey look Henry I just wanted to apologise for before. What I said in the hospital room, especially that about Kaydance. After seeing her sacrifice herself, her nobility, her courage I realised she reminded me of someone. Someone close to me, she reminded me of her brother. I understand what you see in her, I’m sorry I ever doubted that.”

“It’s alright Hermione I understand and I’M SURE KAYDANCE WILL TOO WHEN WE WAKE HER UP. COME ON NOW JUST A BIT FURTHER, I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE SHE’S BEING KEPT.” I shouted for the benefit of Bellatrix and Piper, feeling the intensity of their gazes upon us from a distance. “No seriously she’ll forgive you no problem.” I whispered quietly to Hermione. At last we arrived at the toll bridge at the same time a fly flew up to my ear, Frank, “ Operation has been successful, we’ve retrieved her.”

I scouted the area before turning around feigning confusion,”She’s not here. I....Idon’t understand. We better go, continue looking.”

A few minutes later we were at Kay’s apartment, crowded around her bed where she lay in a restless sleep, tossing and turning. I’d only ever seen someone under the curse sleep peacefully, this must’ve been the second dosage. I had no clue what she was going through.

We all stood around her, clasping each other’s hands. United in only a way she could bring us together. My eyes met with Harry’s, “Can we have a moment alone with her?”

They nodded, leaving me and Harry alone with her. I turned to see tears in his eyes,” I just miss her so much.” 

“Me too.”

“I just found her again after all this time only to have her torn from my grasp again. You don’t understand how long I’ve looked for her, you don’t understand the torture I’ve been through, I’d almost given up hope.”

“Well she’s here now and we can save her. Just like she’s done for us.”

“Yeah we can.” He replied kissing her tenderly on the forehead. Her fitful sleeping fading into stillness. It was my turn now, it was all riding on me. 

“Kay, if this doesn’t work trust me I will not stop fighting until I find a solution. I promise.” And then I bent over and kissed her gently on the lips, a whooshing sound and a burst of light signaling our success. I pulled away as she let out a hoarse,”Henry?” Then laughed,“ I always knew it was gonna be you.” She said pulling me in passionately for another, the taste of her lips tantalising and I savoured every moment. 

That was until Nico burst through the doors,”guys we have a situation. The curse is broken and Jason is dying, Pipers regained her memories and is keeping her alive with her charmspeak, but he needs you Kay.”

“Can’t a girl ever get a moments peace around here?” She queried,”I’m right on it.” She said.

That was the last I ever saw of her, alive.


	36. Limits - Nico di Angelo

I shadow travelled the both of us there to Main Street, where Jason lay gasping and pale. His body was clammy and convulsing. A shaken Piper knelt beside him speaking softly,”Jason don’t die. Just keep breathing. Just another minute until backup arrives.”

Kay got to work at once, running over immediately. “Right, so what happened? I need to know.” Her hands glowed white with energy, she was prepared.

“The curse was lifted, I got my memories back and then Jason collapsed.”

“I seem to recall Jason has died in the past, yes?”

“Yeah I brought him back with the curse.” 

“Right that makes sense then.”

“Guys for what I’m about to do I need to be alone with Jason is that okay?”

We obliged.

I kinda wish we didn’t.

** Kaydance’s PoV  **

The moment I saw him I knew there was no chance of recovery. I couldn’t bring myself to tell them that though. But that didn’t mean there wasn’t another way, it just meant that it would be a series if intricate and unconventional magic and consequences they wouldn’t be proud of. If I’m honest I could’ve used their help, channeled their magic a bit but no I could do this on my own. I had no other option. If they knew they would try and stop me and I couldn’t have that, which is why I sent them away.

“I’m beyond saving aren’t I?” I looked up and met his gaze.

“Far from it actually.”

“Then why do you look so worried?”

“I’m more concerned about the consequences my actions are going to have.”

“Don’t do anything you’re gonna regret for me. At this a tear rolled down my face.

“I won’t. I’m not gonna regret a thing. But can you promise me something?”

“Anything.”

I met his gaze once more, saddened.

“Tell everyone I’m sorry it had to be this way, tell them that I love them all, that I’m thankful for all that they’ve done for me. Tell them I couldn’t have met a better bunch of people, that this was the only way, tell them that I’ll miss them. All of them.”

“Kay-“

I completed the ritual at that moment. A life for a life. A soul for a soul. That was just how it had to be. Did I have any regrets? No.

I promptly crumpled to the floor. The last thing I saw was a concerned Jason and Henry towering over me.

“Oh...Kay” Henry breathed as I breathed my last and the world once more plummeted into darkness, although this time for good.


	37. Journeying- Harry Potter

Fucks sake, I swear life is literally looking down at me and laughing hysterically. I just got reunited with my sister after six years only to have her put her life on the line facing two powerful enemies who had stripped her of almost all her powers, then be put under a sleeping curse and now less than half an hour after we woke her she’s gone and gotten herself killed. To be fair I shouldn’t be surprised at this point, she’s impulsive and reckless, just as she was when she ran away that day six years ago, however it always seemed odd, running away was so unlike her; she was better at strategy, always finding a way to face her problems head on rather than run from them (although she always was a great runner, it was one of her talents). Now, as I stood crouched over her lifeless body, pale and devoid of life, that maybe she’d become far more reliant on her impulses, not thinking through the consequences of her actions. This had to be a mistake, if she was still alive I’m certain she’d say that she’d regret it. 

As I crouched, wading through all these thoughts, I glanced to look at Henry, he seemed unfazed. Slowly, he bent over and closed her eyelids with his fingers so she looked peaceful, easily mistaken for asleep rather than dead; then he planted a kiss on her forehead. I don’t understand how he can stay calm in such a time, I was barely staying calm myself externally that is, but internally my only thought repeating on loop is I came all this way only to lose her again, this time for good. I’m stark contrast Jason was barely holding on saying about how she died saving him, that it’s his responsibility that she’s dead, about how sorry he was that he couldn’t stop her, he was seriously distressed. 

After I sat there for what felt like hours, just reflecting upon our lives together, Hermione pulled me aside saying there was something she needed to show me. I unwilling obliged.

“Harry look I know this is a hard time for you but I think I might have a solution. You know your invisibility cloak?”

“Yeah”

“Right well before the curse I had just finished reading this book called The Tales Of Beedle The Bard. One of which is called The Tale Of Three Brothers. Basically there are these three brothers that effectively cheat death so in return death says they can have one item each. The first brother asked for the most powerful wand in existence known as the elder wand. The second brother asked for the ability to bring back the dead, so he was rewarded with the resurrection stone. The third and final brother asked for the ability to evade death himself so death took off his own invisibility cloak and gave it to him. All three objects when obtained by the same person make them the master of death. See I think that your invisibility cloak because of the reason that you can’t summon it to you like you can any other cloak is the exact same one from the tale, meaning that if the cloak is real-“

“Then so is the resurrection stone, Hermione you’re a genius. Now we just gotta find out where it is.”

We looked at each other, making eye contact and simultaneously blurted “Gold’s”

A few minutes later we stood at the shop entrance we were ready.

I walked in with Hermione on my heels behind me. “Gold?” I called out.

He appeared out of the back room.

“Harry Potter, fancy seeing you here. What can I do for you deary?”

“The resurrection stone, I know you have it.”

“The question is, what would you be willing to give me for it?”

“Anything.”

Hermione tugged at my sleeve shaking her head as if saying this was a bad idea but still I persisted.

“How about this? I’ll give you the stone and you will owe me a favour?”

“Deal.”

“Then it’s settled.” He handed over the stone, surprisingly cool against my sweltering palm and I pocketed it.

A few moments later i found myself stood on the Toll bridge, stone in hand. Alone. I turned it over in my hand and closed my hand clutching it to my chest. To my surprise I heard voices, opening my eyes to see before me my parents and Sirius, but no Kay. I was surprised to see the stone had worked to say the least but I was disappointed that Kay wasn’t here too, did that mean that she possibly wasn’t dead after all? 

It was my mum who spoke first,” I can tell you’re upset that Kay isn’t with us Harry.” She said empathy laced in her voice.

“It’s not that I’m ungrateful that you’re here or anything but-“

She knelt and put a hand under my chin “Harry we understand, we’ve been watching you, we know how close you both were.”

“Why isn’t she here?”

“She didn’t want to come.” My father spoke up gingerly. “She didn’t want to make her passing any more difficult for you then it already is, especially not by showing up now when you are grieving the most. But she did ask me to tell you one thing, she asked us to tell you not to try and bring her back. It’s not worth the bargain with death and neither are the risks involved. She said she doesn’t want to cause any more destruction and to tell Henry the same thing, to find happiness without her.”

Sirius stepped forward, “also we know that you’re coping with a lot but there’s something we need to tell you.”

“Yes Harry-“ my mother started, before taking a deep breath as if this news pained her, while my father moved and out a hand on my shoulder, reassuringly “- Kay isn’t really your sister.”

“WHA- bu...but our birthday, our childhood. It can’t all have been a lie.”

“No Harry it isn’t a lie, she was there and coincidentally enough she does have the same birthday as you, but she’s not your sister and if you think back clearly, do you have any memories of her in your life before the age of five?”

I thought deep and hard, “No, but that doesn’t prove anything nobody remembers that far back.”

“Harry, I think deep down you know.”

“But how come she has magic too?”

“Her magic is of a different branch to ours, far more powerful, if you were twins your magic capabilities would be the same.”

“Hypothetically, if she isn’t my sister then where did she come from, cause she sure as hell isn’t one of the Dursley’s?”

“She isn’t from this universe, rather another. There are interferences causing friction between the universes she was meant to be the one to save us all, her and her cousin that is, together uniting the forces of dark and light for a sole purpose.”

“So she’s lied to me the whole time?” Ispat feeling my rage rising.

“She didn’t know herself Harry, she believed she was your sister as much as you did.”

I softened a bit, “So how did she get to our dimension?”

“She was very young at the time, there was a large battle between the two sides of her family, one accustomed to light magic while the other dark magic, during which she found herself kidnapped and transported to our realm, her memories wiped.” *

“But how come true loves kiss woke her?”

“Well she might not be your sister by blood but the bond and love you have for each other is the equivalent of that, that’s why it worked.”

“Does she know?”

“Know what?”

“Know about her past?”

“No, not even now.”

“But surely she’s gonna find out soon.”

“If she knew the fate of multiple universes would be at risk. She’s in elysium anyway, she’s safe there.”

“Are you sure there’s nothing we can do?”

“Certain, now we need you to go tell the others not to try and bring her back. Please.”

I rejoined the rest of the group, who were all packing?

“Where are you all going?”

“We’re going to save Kay of course.” Was Leo’s reply.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Don’t worry it’s not our first trip to the underworld.”

“No I don’t mean that I just don’t think it’ll end well.”

“Of course it will, Nico is welcome in the underworld he creates a distraction, we sneak in, get Kay and then leave. Simple.”

“Look also, Kay was a part of something much bigger than herself, it’s for the best. It’s what she wants.”

“I’m sorry Harry but we’ve made up our minds, you can’t change them. She would’ve done the same for us so I guess the only question I have is are you joining us or not?”

“I’m in I guess.” All the while thinking how I could sabotage this mission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys hope you like the chapter sorry for how long it took to update, I was so busy convincing Mortem to start to write his own chapter I forgot to write my own. I’ll try and update more frequently,   
Lux.  
*if you want to know more about Kay’s backstory please do read part 2 although all details have not been fully released yet.


	38. All or nothing - Nico Di Angelo

With the gods sphere of power having moved to the UK so, retrospectively had the positions of Olympus and the entrance to the underworld. Being a child of Hades I could shadow travel to underworld whenever I wanted but bringing this many people with me was a death sentence, I wouldn’t be able to make it not even with Hazel’s assistance. The entrance was situated at the Angel of the North, ironic I know, whereas we in Storybrooke were approximately in the area of York roughly 80 miles away. I could possibly just make the journey there but not into the depths of the underworld itself, well it was better than nothing. As I was pondering this, Hermione approached informing us that her, Ron, Harry and Henry would be alright for there was a method of wizard travel much like shadow traveling, although being fairly new to its ways they were not the most advanced and therefore were better off in their small group, she apologised. This was a profound relief cause now I knew for certain we could make it. Moments later we found ourselves stood underneath the angel’s broad figure, it’s shadow cascading over us. 

“I’m not so sure this is a good idea guys how about we just go back?” Harry spoke

“Are you afraid?” I asked

“No...it’s just...” he sighed “... you wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

Well with that clarified, or in our case not, I checked to make sure there was no mortals around, before walking to the foot of the angel. Placing my palm there the a doorway revealed itself descending into darkness.

“Here take my wand.”Hermione spoke passing it to me, a small light at its tip.

We followed the steep pathway until we reached the waiting room, boy was this gonna be fun.

“Charon.” I approached. “ I need you to take me and these others to see my father.”

“Why can’t you take them yourself Mister Nico?” He replied with a snarl.

“Just do as I tell you cause I don’t think my father will be as forgiving as me at your acts of disobedience.”

I saw a flash of panic flicker across his face. “Right this way.”

We passed by the deceased, all pulling at our clothes and begging for us to take them with us. Clearly Charon wasn’t doing his job but that wasn’t what mattered now. In silence we were taken over the river Styx, before clambering out the boat.

“Wow this is so different to what I remembered.” Remarked Henry.

“Yeah well beliefs about Gods can influence which God and underworld you get.”

We stood on a forked path at the top of which resided Cerberus, one half lead straight to the fields of asphodel whereas the other lead to my fathers palace to be judged.

“Surely, being the hero she was she would’ve gotten into Elysium.” Annabeth remarked.

“I guess we better find my father and figure out.”

“But what about Cerberus? Personally I think we should just turn around and leavehows that sound?”

A collective “no” silenced him.

“Everyone hold hands I’ll shadow travel is to my father.” I commanded.

“Are you sure this is gonna be safe cause I don’t think we should if it’s not 100% safe.” Piped up Harry.

“Shut up Harry we’re doing this.”

Everyone joined hands and I transported us there. To our surprise the throne room was empty.

“See. Personally I think we should just go.” 

I couldn’t hold back my rage much longer “ What the hell are you playing at Harry, she’s your sister for fucks sake surely you’d want to save her as much as the rest of us, just as she’d have done for you!”

“I don’t want to save her Nico I’d love to save her. The only problem is she doesn’t want saving and I’m accepting her decision that she wants nothing to do with me or the rest of us right now.I’m sorry to say we came here for nothing. Oh and for the record she’s NOT my sister.”

I looked over at Henry who was crestfallen and devastated, “ No this can’t be true.”

“Well it is.”

“How would you know she doesn’t want saving?” Asked Leo

“Because... I spoke to her.”

“You did what now!” We all exclaimed apart from a sheepish looking Hermione obviously in on the act.

“You spoke to her and didn’t bother to tell us?!” Henry rounded on him.

“Technically I spoke to my parents who forwarded the message from her that she doesn’t want saving.”

“So you just decided to disown her instead, you know since she’s ‘not your sister?’”

We were so enwrapped in our argument that we didn’t notice my father enter the room until we heard a familiar voice speak softly,” He’s right. All of you he’s right. I’m sorry but you came here for nothing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry guys for postponing my work. The chapter isn’t my best but I thought you guys deserved another especially for your patience. Hope you enjoy,  
Lux.


	39. Imperfections - Kaydance

I don’t remember most of the journey to the underworld but I gotta say it wasn’t what I was expecting. Two paths stretched before me, one leading straight to the fields of asphodel the other leading to be judged to decide if you deserved better or worse. The decision was clear, I was going straight to the fields of asphodel. I watched as the other souls approached the archway upon passing through seemingly reaching a state of tranquility, I hoped to achieve that too. Once more I was disappointed, I mean how many times can I be possibly let down today?!I turned to the other souls next to me, I turned to w boy roughly my age, his face looked shrunken and well, lifeless but calm.

“Can you help me please, I’m Kay by the way I don’t understand, how’re you so calm?” He didn’t respond. I waved a hand in front of his face “Hello, can I at least know your name?” He continued on.

“Kay I need you to come with me.” Hades approached out of the shadows.

“No, not until you tell me what’s happening to them at least.”

“Kay, are you aware you’re glowing?”

“That’s the least of my fucking worries right now. What’s happening to them?!”

“They don’t remember, now I need you to come with me.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean why?”

“Why didn’t I forget?”

“Cmon Kay I you need to come with me.”

“First of all it’s Kay to my friends and  you  are most certainly not my friend, it’s Kaydance to you and second what if I don’t?”

“Fucks sake they did say you’d be stubborn.”

“Who? Who said I was stubborn-“

I know for a fact he used some godly magic or something on me cause the next thing I was chained in the palace dungeons.

“Are you willing to cooperate now?” He asked somewhat amused.

“What do you fucking want I’m already dead for gods sake?!”

“You need to be transferred to Elysium.”

I crossed my arms in defiance, the chains jangling as I did. “No I refuse I don’t belong there.”

“You were a literal hero who died so one of her friends could live I think that warrants going to Elysium.”

“I was only a hero because some stupid prophecy said so and cause I was born with some stupid magic. I never had any free will or choice and now I want this to be my choice, I’m not going.”

“Well I can’t damn well send you back to the fields of asphodel.”

“Well then it’s settled I’ll stay here, lose the shackles and I could definitely make it work.”

“You can’t do that.”

“Just say I’m your apprentice or something, let me tag along with you throughout the day no big deal or I do wonder how much chaos my light magic could cause here since it’s clear from the glowing I still have it so the choice is really up to you.”

“Okay okay it’s a deal.”

“Good now I gotta ask like are my powers the same here or different or what?”

“All in good time Kay, we shall put them to some good use.”

“Now do I like get a tour around here or what?”

“Who do you think you are demanding the king of the underworld to do your bidding?”

“So that’s a yes?”

“Fine.” He said disgruntled.

The palace was huge and ornate although dark and not well lit to say the least but I guess that was the underworld for you, not much daylight. We were just walking through the stone floor in the main lounge when I heard familiar voices. Why was I not surprised they’d followed me here? Ugh, just when this day was starting to look up.

I turned to Hades,”How the hell have they got here?”

“Beats me but it looks like something you should go sort out ,you know, since they’re your friends and you’re my apprentice.”

I pulled a face, “Fine I’ll deal with it.”

* * *

“Kay, what are you doing here? Have they been treating you alright?” Questioned Henry.

“What does my father want with you?” Nico asked in the meanwhile.

“I’m fine, I’m dead they can hardly do much else to me and Hades, he’s pretty cool, you’re looking at the face of his new apprentice.”

A simultaneous uttering of “what?” told me that this was not what they had been expecting in the slightest.

“Why aren’t you in Elysium?” Leo piped up.

“Because I didn’t want to be. Now do we have any more questions cause you guys really have to go?”

There was a stunned silence.

“Right then, bye, let me escort you to the nearest exit.” They all followed without a word. It was only upon reaching the exit that Henry spoke,

“Kay we came here to bring you back with us, please come with us, come home.”

“Let me ask you this: have you ever met a human that isn’t flawed? Cause like you may see someone and think their life is perfect and think I wish I could be like them but then I realised that actually no, us humans are flawed to our very foundation and why’s that? Because we feel. All of us at some point have felt sadness, fear, stress, jealousy. We allow ourselves to be overcome by these emotions, clouding our judgement, holding us back or sometimes the opposite instead driving us forward, forcing us to act. Our emotions impact our memories like how sometimes we focus solely on all the bad in our life or sometimes only on the good, we remember what we feel and the events leading up to how we felt, blocking out everything else. You’ve all fallen victim to this yet, take away our emotions and you take away all imperfections. Our species it wouldn’t be flawed, but then again could we call ourselves human? And on that note it was nice seeing you all again, goodbye.” I ushered them out before narrowly breaking into tears.


	40. Kingdoms- Kaydance

It was Hades who found me quarter of an hour later, having not moved and still overcome by sobbing.

"That was painful for you wasn't it?"

I nodded in response.

"That's the thing with you light beings, you try to remain positive, always. Here you were trying to make the best of the given situation, you wanted to make this your kingdom, but that's where you went wrong. A queen does not need a kingdom, she makes one. She is in herself a kingdom, fierce, bold, courageous, both a team player and a leader, yet the main difference between a ruler and a queen is compassion. You have that compassion, you could easily rule a kingdom, just not this one. I've summoned Nico, he'll be here soon, to take you back to your kingdom."

I laughed halfheartedly and dabbed my tears on my sleeve "Where did you learn where to be a queen from?"

"Still haven't lost your sense of humor i see."

"Thank you...for everything."

"I gotta say you've grown on me, you're as welcome here as any of my children."

"Thank you. Just out of curiosity what were you planning on using my powers for?"

"Let's just say in contrast to the energy here, they could be quite destructive to say the least."

"Oh."

"Dad, why did you summon me here?" Nico's voice cut through the silence.

Hades gestured at me, "It's time to take her home."

He looked surprised to say the least. "Are you ready?"

I took his hand and nodded, "It's time."

I thanked Hades once more and then we were gone. Once more we returned to Storybrooke to the uttermost astonishment of the others. Within seconds i was enveloped within their embrace, unable to breathe for the most part but not minding in the slightest. Then came Henry, who kissed me tenderly before pulling away,

"I'm not ever gonna let us be seperated aga-" He was cut off by the blinding flash of red light, then,

"What the hell are _you _doing here?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys this is the last chapter I hope you like it. We'll see the return of the fandoms in part 3 until then you can find out more about Kay's backstory in part 2. Thank you for sticking with the characters hopefully you enjoy!  
Lux.


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